--- a/scripts/plot/gcf.m
+++ b/scripts/plot/gcf.m
@@ -19,7 +19,23 @@
 
 ## -*- texinfo -*-
 ## @deftypefn {Function File} {} gcf ()
-## Return the current figure handle.
+## Return the current figure handle.  If a figure does not exist, create
+## one and return its handle.  The handle may then be used to examine or
+## set properties of the figure.  For example,
+##
+## @example
+## @group
+## fplot (@@sin, [-10, 10]);
+## fig = gcf ();
+## set (fig, "visible", "off");
+## @end group
+## @end example
+##
+## @noindent
+## plots a sine wave, finds the handle of the current figure, and then
+## makes that figure invisible.  Setting the visible property of the
+## figure to @code{"on"} will cause it to be displayed again.
+## @seealso{get, set}
 ## @end deftypefn
 
 ## Author: jwe, Bill Denney