diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/cmd/doctor.rb b/Library/Homebrew/cmd/doctor.rb
index 32f3f5288a..b6f616ec3a 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/cmd/doctor.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/cmd/doctor.rb
@@ -607,7 +607,7 @@ def check_for_config_scripts
 
     configs = Dir["#{p}/*-config"]
     # puts "#{p}\n    #{configs * ' '}" unless configs.empty?
-    config_scripts << [p, configs.collect {|p| File.basename(p)}] unless configs.empty?
+    config_scripts << [p, configs.map { |c| File.basename(c) }] unless configs.empty?
   end
 
   unless config_scripts.empty?
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/cmd/prune.rb b/Library/Homebrew/cmd/prune.rb
index 29e57ee3ef..e2c4ef3103 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/cmd/prune.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/cmd/prune.rb
@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@ module Homebrew extend self
     $d = 0
     dirs = []
 
-    Keg::PRUNEABLE_DIRECTORIES.each do |path|
-      next unless path.directory?
-      path.find do |path|
+    Keg::PRUNEABLE_DIRECTORIES.each do |dir|
+      next unless dir.directory?
+      dir.find do |path|
         path.extend ObserverPathnameExtension
         if path.symlink?
           unless path.resolved_path_exists?
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/compilers.rb b/Library/Homebrew/compilers.rb
index eaaf041b56..4742dcfb59 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/compilers.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/compilers.rb
@@ -149,10 +149,10 @@ class CompilerSelector
         so that we can update the formula accordingly. Thanks!
         EOS
 
-      viable = @compilers.reject { |cc| @f.fails_with? cc }
+      viable = @compilers.reject { |c| @f.fails_with? c }
       unless viable.empty?
         warning += "\nIf it fails you can use "
-        options = viable.map { |cc| "--use-#{cc.name}" }
+        options = viable.map { |c| "--use-#{c.name}" }
         warning += "#{options*' or '} to try a different compiler."
       end
 
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/extend/ENV.rb b/Library/Homebrew/extend/ENV.rb
index 6ac5a0db24..c8b5672399 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/extend/ENV.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/extend/ENV.rb
@@ -391,9 +391,9 @@ class << ENV
   def remove_from_cflags f
     remove cc_flag_vars, f
   end
-  def append key, value, separator = ' '
+  def append keys, value, separator = ' '
     value = value.to_s
-    [*key].each do |key|
+    Array(keys).each do |key|
       unless self[key].to_s.empty?
         self[key] = self[key] + separator + value.to_s
       else
@@ -401,8 +401,8 @@ class << ENV
       end
     end
   end
-  def prepend key, value, separator = ' '
-    [*key].each do |key|
+  def prepend keys, value, separator = ' '
+    Array(keys).each do |key|
       unless self[key].to_s.empty?
         self[key] = value.to_s + separator + self[key]
       else
@@ -413,8 +413,8 @@ class << ENV
   def prepend_path key, path
     prepend key, path, ':' if File.directory? path
   end
-  def remove key, value
-    [*key].each do |key|
+  def remove keys, value
+    Array(keys).each do |key|
       next unless self[key]
       self[key] = self[key].sub(value, '')
       delete(key) if self[key].to_s.empty?
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/keg.rb b/Library/Homebrew/keg.rb
index 0ebb1441d9..eef9e1e0d7 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/keg.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/keg.rb
@@ -36,9 +36,9 @@ class Keg < Pathname
     # of files and directories linked
     $n=$d=0
 
-    TOP_LEVEL_DIRECTORIES.map{ |d| self/d }.each do |src|
-      next unless src.exist?
-      src.find do |src|
+    TOP_LEVEL_DIRECTORIES.map{ |d| self/d }.each do |dir|
+      next unless dir.exist?
+      dir.find do |src|
         next if src == self
         dst=HOMEBREW_PREFIX+src.relative_path_from(self)
         dst.extend ObserverPathnameExtension
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/utils.rb b/Library/Homebrew/utils.rb
index 150cf3c769..955c1e8f20 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/utils.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/utils.rb
@@ -199,8 +199,8 @@ def archs_for_command cmd
   Pathname.new(cmd).archs
 end
 
-def inreplace path, before=nil, after=nil
-  [*path].each do |path|
+def inreplace paths, before=nil, after=nil
+  Array(paths).each do |path|
     f = File.open(path, 'r')
     s = f.read