diff --git a/lisp/subr.el b/lisp/subr.el
index ffb4cb58184..188f6b2eb73 100644
--- a/lisp/subr.el
+++ b/lisp/subr.el
@@ -145,7 +145,10 @@ perhaps they ought to be."
 ;; In the future, would be better to fix byte compiler
 ;; not to really compile in cases like this,
 ;; and use defun here.
-(fset 'ignore '(lambda (&rest ignore) nil))
+(fset 'ignore '(lambda (&rest ignore) 
+		 "Do nothing.
+Accept any number of arguments, but ignore them."
+		 nil))
 
 
 ; old names