Node:Event Designators, Next:Word Designators, Up:History Interaction

#### Event Designators

An event designator is a reference to a command line entry in the history list.

`!`
  Start a history substitution, except when followed by a space, tab, the end of the line, `=` or `(`.
`!`n``
  Refer to command line n.
`!-`n``
  Refer to the command n lines back.
`!!`
  Refer to the previous command. This is a synonym for `!-1`.
`!`string``
  Refer to the most recent command starting with string.
`!?`string`[?]`
  Refer to the most recent command containing string. The trailing `?` may be omitted if the string is followed immediately by a newline.
`^`string1`^`string2`^`
  Quick Substitution. Repeat the last command, replacing string1 with string2. Equivalent to `!!:s/`string1`/`string2`/`.
`!#`
  The entire command line typed so far.