diff --git a/mercurial/revset.py b/mercurial/revset.py
--- a/mercurial/revset.py
+++ b/mercurial/revset.py
@@ -270,6 +270,10 @@ def func(repo, subset, a, b):
 def adds(repo, subset, x):
     """``adds(pattern)``
     Changesets that add a file matching pattern.
+
+    The pattern without explicit kind like ``glob:`` is expected to be
+    relative to the current directory and match against a file or a
+    directory.
     """
     # i18n: "adds" is a keyword
     pat = getstring(x, _("adds requires a pattern"))
@@ -526,6 +530,10 @@ def contains(repo, subset, x):
     """``contains(pattern)``
     Revision contains a file matching pattern. See :hg:`help patterns`
     for information about file patterns.
+
+    The pattern without explicit kind like ``glob:`` is expected to be
+    relative to the current directory and match against a file exactly
+    for efficiency.
     """
     # i18n: "contains" is a keyword
     pat = getstring(x, _("contains requires a pattern"))
@@ -713,6 +721,10 @@ def filelog(repo, subset, x):
     For performance reasons, ``filelog()`` does not show every changeset
     that affects the requested file(s). See :hg:`help log` for details. For
     a slower, more accurate result, use ``file()``.
+
+    The pattern without explicit kind like ``glob:`` is expected to be
+    relative to the current directory and match against a file exactly
+    for efficiency.
     """
 
     # i18n: "filelog" is a keyword
@@ -868,6 +880,8 @@ def hasfile(repo, subset, x):
 
     For a faster but less accurate result, consider using ``filelog()``
     instead.
+
+    This predicate uses ``glob:`` as the default kind of pattern.
     """
     # i18n: "file" is a keyword
     pat = getstring(x, _("file requires a pattern"))
@@ -1003,6 +1017,10 @@ def minrev(repo, subset, x):
 def modifies(repo, subset, x):
     """``modifies(pattern)``
     Changesets modifying files matched by pattern.
+
+    The pattern without explicit kind like ``glob:`` is expected to be
+    relative to the current directory and match against a file or a
+    directory.
     """
     # i18n: "modifies" is a keyword
     pat = getstring(x, _("modifies requires a pattern"))
@@ -1216,6 +1234,10 @@ def remote(repo, subset, x):
 def removes(repo, subset, x):
     """``removes(pattern)``
     Changesets which remove files matching pattern.
+
+    The pattern without explicit kind like ``glob:`` is expected to be
+    relative to the current directory and match against a file or a
+    directory.
     """
     # i18n: "removes" is a keyword
     pat = getstring(x, _("removes requires a pattern"))