diff --git a/mercurial/commands.py b/mercurial/commands.py
--- a/mercurial/commands.py
+++ b/mercurial/commands.py
@@ -2327,13 +2327,14 @@ def rename(ui, repo, *pats, **opts):
         del wlock
 
 def resolve(ui, repo, *pats, **opts):
-    """resolve file merges from a branch merge or update
-
-    This command will attempt to resolve unresolved merges from the
-    last update or merge command. This will use the local file
-    revision preserved at the last update or merge to cleanly retry
-    the file merge attempt. With no file or options specified, this
-    command will attempt to resolve all unresolved files.
+    """retry file merges from a merge or update
+
+    This command will cleanly retry unresolved file merges using file
+    revisions preserved from the last update or merge. To attempt to
+    resolve all unresolved files, use the -a switch.
+
+    This command will also allow listing resolved files and manually
+    marking and unmarking files as resolved.
 
     The codes used to show the status of files are:
     U = unresolved
diff --git a/tests/test-globalopts.out b/tests/test-globalopts.out
--- a/tests/test-globalopts.out
+++ b/tests/test-globalopts.out
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ list of commands:
  recover      roll back an interrupted transaction
  remove       remove the specified files on the next commit
  rename       rename files; equivalent of copy + remove
- resolve      resolve file merges from a branch merge or update
+ resolve      retry file merges from a merge or update
  revert       restore individual files or dirs to an earlier state
  rollback     roll back the last transaction
  root         print the root (top) of the current working dir
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ list of commands:
  recover      roll back an interrupted transaction
  remove       remove the specified files on the next commit
  rename       rename files; equivalent of copy + remove
- resolve      resolve file merges from a branch merge or update
+ resolve      retry file merges from a merge or update
  revert       restore individual files or dirs to an earlier state
  rollback     roll back the last transaction
  root         print the root (top) of the current working dir
diff --git a/tests/test-help.out b/tests/test-help.out
--- a/tests/test-help.out
+++ b/tests/test-help.out
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ list of commands:
  recover      roll back an interrupted transaction
  remove       remove the specified files on the next commit
  rename       rename files; equivalent of copy + remove
- resolve      resolve file merges from a branch merge or update
+ resolve      retry file merges from a merge or update
  revert       restore individual files or dirs to an earlier state
  rollback     roll back the last transaction
  root         print the root (top) of the current working dir
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ use "hg -v help" to show aliases and glo
  recover      roll back an interrupted transaction
  remove       remove the specified files on the next commit
  rename       rename files; equivalent of copy + remove
- resolve      resolve file merges from a branch merge or update
+ resolve      retry file merges from a merge or update
  revert       restore individual files or dirs to an earlier state
  rollback     roll back the last transaction
  root         print the root (top) of the current working dir