src/Pure/Isar/proof_context.ML

     ((string * attribute list) * (term * term list) list) list ->
     Proof.context -> (bstring * thm list) list * Proof.context
   val add_cases: bool -> (string * RuleCases.T option) list -> Proof.context -> Proof.context
   val apply_case: RuleCases.T -> Proof.context -> (string * term list) list * Proof.context
   val get_case: Proof.context -> string -> string option list -> RuleCases.T
-  val expand_abbrevs: bool -> Proof.context -> Proof.context
   val add_notation: Syntax.mode -> (term * mixfix) list ->
     Proof.context -> Proof.context
+  val expand_abbrevs: bool -> Proof.context -> Proof.context
   val add_abbrevs: Syntax.mode -> ((bstring * mixfix) * term) list -> Proof.context ->
     (term * term) list * Proof.context
   val verbose: bool ref
   val setmp_verbose: ('a -> 'b) -> 'a -> 'b
   val print_syntax: Proof.context -> unit

 val expand_abbrevs = map_consts o apsnd o Consts.expand_abbrevs;
 
 fun add_abbrevs prmode = fold_map (fn ((raw_c, raw_mx), raw_t) => fn ctxt =>
   let
     val (c, mx) = Syntax.const_mixfix raw_c raw_mx;
-    val _ = no_skolem true c;
-    val full_c = full_name ctxt c;
-    val c' = Syntax.constN ^ full_c;
-    val t0 = cert_term (ctxt |> expand_abbrevs false) raw_t;
+    val t0 = cert_term (ctxt |> expand_abbrevs false) raw_t
+      handle ERROR msg => cat_error msg ("in constant abbreviation " ^ quote c);
     val [t] = Variable.exportT_terms (Variable.declare_term t0 ctxt) ctxt [t0];
-    val T = Term.fastype_of t;
-    val _ =
-      if null (Variable.hidden_polymorphism t T) then ()
-      else error ("Extra type variables on rhs of abbreviation: " ^ quote c);
+    val (((full_c, T), rhs), consts') = consts_of ctxt
+      |> Consts.abbreviate (pp ctxt) (tsig_of ctxt) (naming_of ctxt) (#1 prmode) ((c, t), true);
   in
     ctxt
     |> Variable.declare_term t
-    |> map_consts (apsnd
-      (Consts.abbreviate (pp ctxt) (tsig_of ctxt) (naming_of ctxt) (#1 prmode) ((c, t), true)))
-    |> map_syntax (LocalSyntax.add_modesyntax (theory_of ctxt) prmode [(false, (c', T, mx))])
-    |> pair (Const (full_c, T), t)
+    |> map_consts (apsnd (K consts'))
+    |> map_syntax (LocalSyntax.add_modesyntax (theory_of ctxt)
+      prmode [(false, (Syntax.constN ^ full_c, T, mx))])
+    |> pair (Const (full_c, T), rhs)
   end);
 
 
 (* fixes *)