Don't say just "option" when talking about variables.

man/files.texi

@@ -2979,7 +2979,7 @@ that don't support them, this command is not defined.
 compressed files when you visit them, and automatically recompress them
 if you alter them and save them.  To enable this feature, type the
 command @kbd{M-x auto-compression-mode}.  You can enable it permanently
-by customizing the option @code{auto-compression-mode}.
+by customizing the variable @code{auto-compression-mode}.
 
   When automatic compression (which implies automatic uncompression as
 well) is enabled, Emacs recognizes compressed files by their file names.

man/frames.texi

@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ particularly under OpenWindows and Gnome.
 @code{Paste} and @code{Copy} menu items, as well as the keys of the same
 names, all use the clipboard.
 
-  You can customize the option @code{x-select-enable-clipboard} to make
+  You can customize the variable @code{x-select-enable-clipboard} to make
 the Emacs yank functions consult the clipboard before the primary
 selection, and to make the kill functions to store in the clipboard as
 well as the primary selection.  Otherwise they do not access the
@@ -758,7 +758,7 @@ window vertically.  The split occurs on the line where you click.
 scroll-bar-mode}.  With no argument, it toggles the use of scroll bars.
 With an argument, it turns use of scroll bars on if and only if the
 argument is positive.  This command applies to all frames, including
-frames yet to be created.  Customize the option @code{scroll-bar-mode}
+frames yet to be created.  Customize the variable @code{scroll-bar-mode}
 to control the use of scroll bars at startup.  You can use it to specify
 that they are placed at the right of windows if you prefer that.  You
 have to set this variable through the @samp{Customize} interface
@@ -788,7 +788,7 @@ usually click the wheel to act as either @kbd{Mouse-2} or
 @kbd{Mouse-3}, depending on the setup.  You can also use the wheel to
 scroll windows instead of using the scroll bar or keyboard commands.
 To do so, turn on Mouse Wheel global minor mode with the command
-@kbd{M-x mouse-wheel-mode} or by customizing the option
+@kbd{M-x mouse-wheel-mode} or by customizing the variable
 @code{mouse-wheel-mode}.  Support for the wheel depends on the system
 generating appropriate events for Emacs.
 
@@ -849,7 +849,7 @@ variables.
 @cindex mode, Menu Bar
 
   You can turn display of menu bars on or off with @kbd{M-x
-menu-bar-mode} or by customizing the option @code{menu-bar-mode}.
+menu-bar-mode} or by customizing the variable @code{menu-bar-mode}.
 With no argument, this command toggles Menu Bar mode, a
 minor mode.  With an argument, the command turns Menu Bar mode on if the
 argument is positive, off if the argument is not positive.  You can use
@@ -899,7 +899,7 @@ question or some other special question.  Many Emacs commands use a
 dialog box to ask a yes-or-no question, if you used the mouse to
 invoke the command to begin with.
 
-  You can customize the option @code{use-dialog-box} to suppress the
+  You can customize the variable @code{use-dialog-box} to suppress the
 use of dialog boxes.  This also controls whether to use file selection
 windows (but those are not supported on all platforms).
 
@@ -907,10 +907,10 @@ windows (but those are not supported on all platforms).
   A file selection window is a special kind of dialog box for asking for
 file names.
 
-  You can customize the option @code{use-file-dialog} to suppress the
+  You can customize the variable @code{use-file-dialog} to suppress the
 use of file selection windows even if you still want other kinds
-of dialogs.  This option has no effect if you have suppressed all dialog
-boxes with the option @code{use-dialog-box}.
+of dialogs.  This variable has no effect if you have suppressed all dialog
+boxes with the variable @code{use-dialog-box}.
 
 @vindex x-use-old-gtk-file-dialog
   For Gtk+ version 2.4 and 2.6, you can make Emacs use the old file dialog
@@ -949,7 +949,7 @@ customizing the windows that display tooltips.
 @vindex mouse-avoidance-mode
 Mouse Avoidance mode keeps the window system mouse pointer away from
 point, to avoid obscuring text.  Whenever it moves the mouse, it also
-raises the frame.  To use Mouse Avoidance mode, customize the option
+raises the frame.  To use Mouse Avoidance mode, customize the variable
 @code{mouse-avoidance-mode}.  You can set this to various values to
 move the mouse in several ways:
 

man/help.texi

@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ customization buffers and the like.  @xref{Help Mode}.
 @cindex looking for a subject in documentation
   If you are looking for a certain feature, but don't know where
 exactly it is documented, and aren't sure of the name of a
-related command or option, we recommend trying these methods.  Usually
+related command or variable, we recommend trying these methods.  Usually
 it is best to start with an apropos command, then try searching the
 manual index, then finally look in the FAQ and the package keywords.
 
@@ -51,9 +51,9 @@ be a regular expression (@pxref{Regexps}).  Browse the buffer that this
 command displays to find what you are looking for.  @xref{Apropos}.
 
 @item M-x apropos @key{RET} @var{topic} @key{RET}
-This works like @kbd{C-h a}, but it also searches for user options and
-other variables, in case the feature you are looking for is controlled
-by an option, not a command.  @xref{Apropos}.
+This works like @kbd{C-h a}, but it also searches for variables,
+in case the feature you are looking for is controlled by a variable
+rather than a command.  @xref{Apropos}.
 
 @item M-x apropos-documentation @key{RET} @var{topic} @key{RET}
 This searches the @emph{documentation strings} (the built-in short
@@ -302,9 +302,9 @@ view, describe, default.
 
 @findex apropos-variable
   To list all user variables that match a regexp, use the command
-@kbd{M-x apropos-variable}. This command shows only user variables and
-customization options by default; if you specify a prefix argument, it
-checks all variables.
+@kbd{M-x apropos-variable}.  By default, this command shows only
+variables meant for user customization; if you specify a prefix
+argument, it checks all variables.
 
 @findex apropos
   To list all Lisp symbols that contain a match for a regexp, not just

man/macos.texi

@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ is run on the Mac.  It displays characters in the @code{mac-roman}
 coding system using 12-point Monaco.
 
   To insert characters directly in the @code{mac-roman} coding system,
-type @kbd{C-x @key{RET} k mac-roman @key{RET}}, customize the option
+type @kbd{C-x @key{RET} k mac-roman @key{RET}}, customize the variable
 @code{keyboard-coding-system}, or put this in your init file:
 
 @lisp

man/maintaining.texi

@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ can even guess the name of the function or other object that was
 changed.
 
 @vindex add-log-keep-changes-together
-  When the option @code{add-log-keep-changes-together} is
+  When the variable @code{add-log-keep-changes-together} is
 non-@code{nil}, @kbd{C-x 4 a} adds to any existing entry for the file
 rather than starting a new entry.
 

man/major.texi

@@ -18,9 +18,10 @@ parentheses (@pxref{Mode Line}).
   The least specialized major mode is called @dfn{Fundamental mode}.
 This mode has no mode-specific redefinitions or variable settings, so
 that each Emacs command behaves in its most general manner, and each
-option is in its default state.  For editing text of a specific type
-that Emacs knows about, such as Lisp code or English text, you should
-switch to the appropriate major mode, such as Lisp mode or Text mode.
+user option variable is in its default state.  For editing text of a
+specific type that Emacs knows about, such as Lisp code or English
+text, you should switch to the appropriate major mode, such as Lisp
+mode or Text mode.
 
   Selecting a major mode changes the meanings of a few keys to become
 more specifically adapted to the language being edited.  The ones that

man/mini.texi

@@ -392,7 +392,7 @@ indicate the places for completion; thus, @file{/u*/b*/f*} might
 complete to @file{/usr/bin/foo}.
 
   To enable this mode, use the command @kbd{M-x
-partial-completion-mode}, or customize the option
+partial-completion-mode}, or customize the variable
 @code{partial-completion-mode}.  This binds the partial completion
 commands to @key{TAB}, @key{SPC}, @key{RET}, and @kbd{?}.  The usual
 completion commands are available on @kbd{M-@key{TAB}},

man/misc.texi

@@ -2020,8 +2020,8 @@ editors.  Standard facilities can emulate these:
 @cindex mode, CRiSP
 You can turn on key bindings to emulate the CRiSP/Brief editor with
 @kbd{M-x crisp-mode}.  Note that this rebinds @kbd{M-x} to exit Emacs
-unless you change the user option @code{crisp-override-meta-x}.  You can
-also use the command @kbd{M-x scroll-all-mode} or set the user option
+unless you set the variable @code{crisp-override-meta-x}.  You can
+also use the command @kbd{M-x scroll-all-mode} or set the variable
 @code{crisp-load-scroll-all} to emulate CRiSP's scroll-all feature
 (scrolling all windows together).
 

man/programs.texi

@@ -1277,7 +1277,7 @@ Hide all blocks @var{n} levels below this block
 @vindex hs-hide-comments-when-hiding-all
 @vindex hs-isearch-open
 @vindex hs-special-modes-alist
-  These user options exist for customizing Hideshow mode.
+  These variables exist for customizing Hideshow mode.
 
 @table @code
 @item hs-hide-comments-when-hiding-all

man/screen.texi

@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ selected window's cursor is solid or blinking, and the other cursors
 are just hollow.  Thus, the most striking cursor always shows you
 the selected window, on all kinds of terminals.
 
-  @xref{Cursor Display}, for customization options that control display
+  @xref{Cursor Display}, for customizable variables that control display
 of the cursor or cursors.
 
   The term ``point'' comes from the character @samp{.}, which was the

man/sending.texi

@@ -506,9 +506,9 @@ the full name, and what style to use, as in @code{mail-from-style}
 
   For completion purposes, the valid mailing addresses are taken to be
 the local users' names plus your personal mail aliases.  You can
-specify additional sources of valid addresses; look at the customization
-group @samp{mailalias} to see the options for this
-(@pxref{Customization Groups}).
+specify additional sources of valid addresses; see the customization
+group @samp{mailalias} to see the variables for customizing this
+feature (@pxref{Customization Groups}).
 
   If you type @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} in the body of the message,
 @code{mail-complete} invokes @code{ispell-complete-word}, as in Text