rev-parse: clarify documentation for the --verify option

diff --git a/Documentation/revisions.txt b/Documentation/revisions.txt
index 991fcd8f3fabe5a1d399db3b4c7f79e3989e5019..e82a4db61c837fd4ab68ffd59df1bdc5c529fa73 100644 (file)
--- a/Documentation/revisions.txt
+++ b/Documentation/revisions.txt
@@ -88,10 +88,10 @@ some output processing may assume ref names in UTF-8.
   The construct '@\{-<n>\}' means the <n>th branch checked out
   before the current one.
 
-'<refname>@\{upstream\}', e.g. 'master@\{upstream\}', '@\{u\}'::
-  The suffix '@\{upstream\}' to a ref (short form '<refname>@\{u\}') refers to
-  the branch the ref is set to build on top of.  A missing ref defaults
-  to the current branch.
+'<branchname>@\{upstream\}', e.g. 'master@\{upstream\}', '@\{u\}'::
+  The suffix '@\{upstream\}' to a branchname (short form '<branchname>@\{u\}')
+  refers to the branch that the branch specified by branchname is set to build on
+  top of.  A missing branchname defaults to the current one.
 
 '<rev>{caret}', e.g. 'HEAD{caret}, v1.5.1{caret}0'::
   A suffix '{caret}' to a revision parameter means the first parent of
@@ -116,6 +116,11 @@ some output processing may assume ref names in UTF-8.
   object of that type is found or the object cannot be
   dereferenced anymore (in which case, barf).  '<rev>{caret}0'
   is a short-hand for '<rev>{caret}\{commit\}'.
++
+'rev{caret}\{object\}' can be used to make sure 'rev' names an
+object that exists, without requiring 'rev' to be a tag, and
+without dereferencing 'rev'; because a tag is already an object,
+it does not have to be dereferenced even once to get to an object.
 
 '<rev>{caret}\{\}', e.g. 'v0.99.8{caret}\{\}'::
   A suffix '{caret}' followed by an empty brace pair