ELLIPSIS= ... check-ellipsis: @${MAKE} -f ${MAKEFILE} do-$@ @${MAKE} -f ${MAKEFILE} -j2 do-$@ @${MAKE} -f ${MAKEFILE} -j2 -B do-$@ do-check-ellipsis: do-check-ellipsis-1 do-check-ellipsis-2 .ORDER: do-check-ellipsis-1 do-check-ellipsis-2 do-check-ellipsis-1: @echo before $@ ${ELLIPSIS} @echo after $@ do-check-ellipsis-2: @echo before $@ ${ELLIPSIS} @echo after $@