Event Designators

Bash Reference Manual. Node: 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.