| ||||
Standard actions concerning the actor's possessions
Taking inventory
, Taking
, Removing it from
, Dropping
, Putting it on
, Inserting it into
, Eating 
Standard actions which move the actor
Going
, Entering
, Exiting
, Getting off 
Standard actions concerning the actor's vision
Looking
, Examining
, Looking under
, Searching
, Consulting it about 
Standard actions which change the state of things
Locking it with
, Unlocking it with
, Switching on
, Switching off
, Opening
, Closing
, Wearing
, Taking off 
Standard actions concerning other people
Giving it to
, Showing it to
, Waking
, Throwing it at
, Attacking
, Kissing
, Answering it that
, Telling it about
, Asking it about
, Asking it for 
Standard actions which are checked but then do nothing unless rules intervene
Waiting
, Touching
, Waving
, Pulling
, Pushing
, Turning
, Pushing it to
, Squeezing 
Standard actions which always do nothing unless rules intervene
Saying yes
, Saying no
, Burning
, Waking up
, Thinking
, Smelling
, Listening to
, Tasting
, Cutting
, Jumping
, Tying it to
, Drinking
, Saying sorry
, Swearing obscenely
, Swearing mildly
, Swinging
, Rubbing
, Setting it to
, Waving hands
, Buying
, Singing
, Climbing
, Sleeping 
Standard actions which happen out of world
Quitting the game
, Saving the game
, Restoring the game
, Restarting the game
, Verifying the story file
, Switching the story transcript on
, Switching the story transcript off
, Requesting the story file version
, Requesting the score
, Preferring abbreviated room descriptions
, Preferring unabbreviated room descriptions
, Preferring sometimes abbreviated room descriptions
, Switching score notification on
, Switching score notification off
, Requesting the pronoun meanings 
Actions defined by the extension Basic Help Menu by Emily Short
Asking for help

New actions defined in the source
Xyzzying
, Talking to
, Fucking
, Undressing

Named kinds of action
No names have yet been defined. (Here's how:
)
Commands available to the player
"[direction]" - Going
"about"
- Asking for help 
"about"
- Asking for help 
"abstract", a testing command not available in the final game
"actions", a testing command not available in the final game
"adjust", same as "set" 
"analyse"
- Asking for help 
"analysis"
- Asking for help 
"analyze"
- Asking for help 
"answer [person]"
- Talking to 
"answer to [person]"
- Talking to 
"answer [text] to [someone]" - Answering it that
(reversed)
"ask [someone] for [something]" - Asking it for 
"ask [someone] about [text]" - Asking it about 
"attach", same as "tie" 
"attack [something]" - Attacking 
"awake", same as "wake" 
"awaken", same as "wake" 
"break", same as "attack" 
"brief" - Preferring sometimes abbreviated room descriptions 
"burn [something]" - Burning 
"buy [something]" - Buying 
"carry", same as "take" 
"check", same as "examine" 
"chop", same as "cut" 
"clean", same as "rub" 
"clear", same as "push" 
"climb [something]" - Climbing 
"climb up/over [something]" - Climbing 
"close [something]" - Closing 
"close up [something]" - Closing 
"close off [something]" - Switching off 
"consult [something] on/about [text]" - Consulting it about 
"copulate with [person]"
- Fucking 
"copyright"
- Asking for help 
"cover", same as "close" 
"crack", same as "attack" 
"credits"
- Asking for help 
"cross", same as "enter" 
"cut [something]" - Cutting 
"deflower [person]"
- Fucking 
"describe", same as "examine" 
"destroy", same as "attack" 
"discard", same as "drop" 
"display", same as "show" 
"disrobe", same as "shed" 
"doff", same as "shed" 
"don", same as "wear" 
"donate [something] to [someone]"
- Giving it to 
"drag", same as "pull" 
"drink [something]" - Drinking 
"drop [things preferably held]" - Dropping 
"drop [something preferably held] at/against [something]" - Throwing it at 
"drop [other things] in/into/down [something]" - Inserting it into 
"drop [other things] on/onto [something]" - Putting it on 
"dust", same as "rub" 
"eat [something preferably held]" - Eating 
"embrace", same as "kiss" 
"enter" - Entering 
"enter [something]" - Entering 
"essay"
- Asking for help 
"examine [something]" - Examining 
"exit" - Exiting 
"fasten", same as "tie" 
"feed", same as "give" 
"feel", same as "touch" 
"fight", same as "attack" 
"fuck [thing]"
- Fucking 
"get out/off/down/up" - Exiting 
"get in/on" - Entering 
"get [things]" - Taking 
"get in/into/on/onto [something]" - Entering 
"get off/down [something]" - Getting off 
"get [things inside] from [something]" - Removing it from 
"give [someone] [something preferably held]" - Giving it to
(reversed)
"give [something preferably held] to [someone]" - Giving it to 
"glklist", a testing command not available in the final game
"go" - Going 
"go [direction]" - Going 
"go [something]" - Entering 
"go into/in/inside/through [something]" - Entering 
"gonear", a testing command not available in the final game
"have sex with [person]"
- Fucking 
"hear [something]" - Listening to 
"help"
- Asking for help 
"hint"
- Asking for help 
"hint"
- Asking for help 
"hints"
- Asking for help 
"hints"
- Asking for help 
"hit", same as "attack" 
"hold", same as "take" 
"hop", same as "jump" 
"hug", same as "kiss" 
"i", same as "inventory" 
"info"
- Asking for help 
"info"
- Asking for help 
"insert [other things] in/into [something]" - Inserting it into 
"insight"
- Asking for help 
"insights"
- Asking for help 
"inv", same as "inventory" 
"inventory" - Taking inventory 
"jump" - Jumping 
"kill", same as "attack" 
"kiss [someone]" - Kissing 
"kiss [something]"
- Kissing 
"l", same as "look" 
"leave", same as "exit" 
"lick [something]"
- Kissing 
"light", same as "burn" 
"listen" - Listening to 
"listen to [something]" - Listening to 
"lock [something] with [something preferably held]" - Locking it with 
"long" - Preferring unabbreviated room descriptions 
"look" - Looking 
"look [something]" - Examining 
"look at [something]" - Examining 
"look inside/in/into/through [something]" - Searching 
"look under [something]" - Looking under 
"look up [text] in [something]" - Consulting it about
(reversed)
"make love to [person]"
- Fucking 
"manifesto"
- Asking for help 
"mate with [person]"
- Fucking 
"menu"
- Asking for help 
"move", same as "push" 
"murder", same as "attack" 
"nap", same as "sleep" 
"no" - Saying no 
"normal" - Preferring sometimes abbreviated room descriptions 
"notify" - Switching score notification on 
"notify on" - Switching score notification on 
"notify off" - Switching score notification off 
"nouns" - Requesting the pronoun meanings 
"offer", same as "give" 
"open [something]" - Opening 
"open [something] with [something preferably held]" - Unlocking it with 
"out", same as "exit" 
"pay", same as "give" 
"pick up [things]" - Taking 
"pick [things] up" - Taking 
"polish", same as "rub" 
"possess [person]"
- Fucking 
"pray"
- Asking for help 
"prayer"
- Asking for help 
"present", same as "show" 
"press", same as "push" 
"pronouns" - Requesting the pronoun meanings 
"prune", same as "cut" 
"pull [something]" - Pulling 
"punch", same as "attack" 
"purchase", same as "buy" 
"purloin", a testing command not available in the final game
"push [something]" - Pushing 
"push [something] [direction]" - Pushing it to 
"push [something] to [direction]" - Pushing it to 
"put on [something preferably held]" - Wearing 
"put [something preferably held] on" - Wearing 
"put down [things preferably held]" - Dropping 
"put [things preferably held] down" - Dropping 
"put [other things] in/inside/into [something]" - Inserting it into 
"put [other things] on/onto [something]" - Putting it on 
"q" - Quitting the game 
"quit" - Quitting the game 
"random", a testing command not available in the final game
"read [something]" - Examining 
"read about [text] in [something]" - Consulting it about
(reversed)
"read [text] in [something]" - Consulting it about
(reversed)
"relations", a testing command not available in the final game
"remove [something preferably held]" - Taking off 
"remove [things inside] from [something]" - Removing it from 
"restart" - Restarting the game 
"restore" - Restoring the game 
"rotate", same as "turn" 
"rub [something]" - Rubbing 
"rules", a testing command not available in the final game
"run", same as "go" 
"save" - Saving the game 
"say", same as "answer" 
"scale", same as "climb" 
"scenes", a testing command not available in the final game
"scope", a testing command not available in the final game
"score" - Requesting the score 
"screw", same as "turn" 
"script" - Switching the story transcript on 
"script on" - Switching the story transcript on 
"script off" - Switching the story transcript off 
"scrub", same as "rub" 
"search [something]" - Searching 
"sermon"
- Asking for help 
"set [something] to [text]" - Setting it to 
"shed"
- Undressing 
"shed [something preferably held]" - Taking off 
"shift", same as "push" 
"shine", same as "rub" 
"short" - Preferring abbreviated room descriptions 
"shout", same as "answer" 
"show [someone] [something preferably held]" - Showing it to
(reversed)
"show [something preferably held] to [someone]" - Showing it to 
"showheap", a testing command not available in the final game
"showme", a testing command not available in the final game
"showverb", a testing command not available in the final game
"shut", same as "close" 
"sing" - Singing 
"sip", same as "drink" 
"sit on/in/inside [something]" - Entering 
"sit on top of [something]" - Entering 
"skip", same as "jump" 
"sleep" - Sleeping 
"sleep with [person]"
- Fucking 
"slice", same as "cut" 
"smash", same as "attack" 
"smell" - Smelling 
"smell [something]" - Smelling 
"sniff", same as "smell" 
"sorry" - Saying sorry 
"speak", same as "answer" 
"squash", same as "squeeze" 
"squeeze [something]" - Squeezing 
"stand" - Exiting 
"stand up" - Exiting 
"stand on [something]" - Entering 
"strip"
- Undressing 
"stroke [something]"
- Touching 
"superbrief" - Preferring abbreviated room descriptions 
"swallow", same as "drink" 
"sweep", same as "rub" 
"swing [something]" - Swinging 
"swing on [something]" - Swinging 
"switch [something switched on]" - Switching off 
"switch [something]" - Switching on 
"switch on [something]" - Switching on 
"switch [something] on" - Switching on 
"switch [something] off" - Switching off 
"switch off [something]" - Switching off 
"take inventory" - Taking inventory 
"take [things]" - Taking 
"take off [something]" - Taking off 
"take [something] off" - Taking off 
"take [things inside] from [something]" - Removing it from 
"take [things inside] off [something]" - Removing it from 
"talk [person]"
- Talking to 
"talk to [person]"
- Talking to 
"taste [something]" - Tasting 
"tell [someone] about [text]" - Telling it about 
"test", a testing command not available in the final game
"think" - Thinking 
"throw", same as "drop" 
"thump", same as "attack" 
"tie [something] to [something]" - Tying it to 
"torture", same as "attack" 
"touch [something]" - Touching 
"trace", a testing command not available in the final game
"tract"
- Asking for help 
"transcript" - Switching the story transcript on 
"transcript on" - Switching the story transcript on 
"transcript off" - Switching the story transcript off 
"tree", a testing command not available in the final game
"turn [something]" - Turning 
"turn [something] on" - Switching on 
"turn on [something]" - Switching on 
"turn [something] off" - Switching off 
"turn off [something]" - Switching off 
"twist", same as "turn" 
"uncover", same as "open" 
"undress"
- Undressing 
"unlock [something] with [something preferably held]" - Unlocking it with 
"unscrew", same as "turn" 
"unwrap", same as "open" 
"verbose" - Preferring unabbreviated room descriptions 
"verify" - Verifying the story file 
"version" - Requesting the story file version 
"wait" - Waiting 
"wake" - Waking up 
"wake up" - Waking up 
"wake [someone]" - Waking 
"wake [someone] up" - Waking 
"wake up [someone]" - Waking 
"walk", same as "go" 
"watch", same as "examine" 
"wave" - Waving hands 
"wave [something]" - Waving 
"wear [something preferably held]" - Wearing 
"wipe", same as "rub" 
"wreck", same as "attack" 
"x", same as "examine" 
"xyzzy"
- Xyzzying 
"y", same as "yes" 
"yes" - Saying yes 
"z", same as "wait" 
Tokens which can be used in Understand
In addition to the tokens listed below, any description of an object or value can be used: for example, "[number]" matches text like 127 or SIX, and "[open door]" matches the name of any nearby door which is currently open.
Names of objects are normally understood only when they are within sight, but writing 'any' lifts this restriction. So "[any person]" allows every name of a person, wherever they happen to be.
"[anybody]"
- same as "[someone]"
"[anyone]"
- same as "[someone]"
"[anything]"
- same as "[thing]"
"[somebody]"
- same as "[someone]"
"[something]"
- same as "[thing]"
"[a time period]"
Actions in alphabetical order