=over =item $* Set to a non-zero integer value to do multi-line matching within a string, 0 (or undefined) to tell Perl that it can assume that strings contain a single line, for the purpose of optimizing pattern matches. Pattern matches on strings containing multiple newlines can produce confusing results when C<$*> is 0 or undefined. Default is undefined. (Mnemonic: * matches multiple things.) This variable influences the interpretation of only C<^> and C<$>. A literal newline can be searched for even when C<$* == 0>. Use of C<$*> is deprecated in modern Perl, supplanted by the C and C modifiers on pattern matching. Assigning a non-numerical value to C<$*> triggers a warning (and makes C<$*> act if C<$* == 0>), while assigning a numerical value to C<$*> makes that an implicit C is applied on the value. =back