% date Wed Sep 4 10:41:55 BST 2013 % date | awk '{ print $2 }' Sep % perl -de0 Loading DB routines from perl5db.pl version 1.32 Editor support available. Enter h or `h h' for help, or `man perldebug' for more help. main::(-e:1): 0 DB<1> $cmd = qq[date | awk '{ print $2 }'] DB<2> p $cmd date | awk '{ print }' DB<3> p qx/$cmd/ Wed Sep 4 10:47:41 BST 2013 DB<4> $cmd = qq[date | awk '{ print \$2 }'] DB<5> p $cmd date | awk '{ print $2 }' DB<6> p qx/$cmd/ Sep DB<7> q %