Actions Index The actions (click magnifiers for details);   kinds of action;   commands A to Z;   tokens;   actions A to Z What are actions?  ; Creating new actions  ; Out of world actions (in red)

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 

Named kinds of action

No names have yet been defined. (Here's how:  )

Commands available to the player

"[direction]" - Going

"abstract", a testing command not available in the final game
"actions", a testing command not available in the final game
"adjust", same as "set" 
"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 
"cover", same as "close" 
"crack", same as "attack" 
"cross", same as "enter" 
"cut [something]" - Cutting 

"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" 
"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 
"examine [something]" - Examining 
"exit" - Exiting 

"fasten", same as "tie" 
"feed", same as "give" 
"feel", same as "touch" 
"fight", same as "attack" 

"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

"hear [something]" - Listening to 
"hit", same as "attack" 
"hold", same as "take" 
"hop", same as "jump" 
"hug", same as "kiss" 

"i", same as "inventory" 
"insert [other things] in/into [something]" - Inserting it into 
"inv", same as "inventory" 
"inventory" - Taking inventory 

"jump" - Jumping 

"kill", same as "attack" 
"kiss [someone]" - Kissing 

"l", same as "look" 
"leave", same as "exit" 
"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)

"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" 
"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 
"set [something] to [text]" - Setting it to 
"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 
"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 
"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 
"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
"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" 
"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" 

"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]"

"[other things]" 

"[somebody]"  - same as "[someone]"

"[someone]" 

"[something]"  - same as "[thing]"

"[something preferably held]" 

"[text]" 

"[things]" 

"[things inside]" 

"[things preferably held]" 

"[a time period]"

Actions in alphabetical order