diff --git a/src/util/expr_initializer.cpp b/src/util/expr_initializer.cpp
index 384d23aee02..2506b0c969f 100644
--- a/src/util/expr_initializer.cpp
+++ b/src/util/expr_initializer.cpp
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ exprt expr_initializert<nondet>::expr_initializer_rec(
       {
         constant_exprt code_value(ID_nil, c.type());
         code_value.add_source_location()=source_location;
-        value.copy_to_operands(code_value);
+        value.add_to_operands(std::move(code_value));
       }
       else
       {
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ exprt expr_initializert<nondet>::expr_initializer_rec(
         if(member.is_nil())
           return nil_exprt();
 
-        value.copy_to_operands(member);
+        value.add_to_operands(std::move(member));
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/util/guard.cpp b/src/util/guard.cpp
index f85100a8f46..9da74db2dcd 100644
--- a/src/util/guard.cpp
+++ b/src/util/guard.cpp
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ void guardt::add(const exprt &expr)
   else if(id()!=ID_and)
   {
     and_exprt a;
-    a.copy_to_operands(*this);
+    a.add_to_operands(*this);
     *this=a;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/util/simplify_expr_array.cpp b/src/util/simplify_expr_array.cpp
index 59e8be02dfc..d70962f9df0 100644
--- a/src/util/simplify_expr_array.cpp
+++ b/src/util/simplify_expr_array.cpp
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ bool simplify_exprt::simplify_index(exprt &expr)
       simplify_node(final_offset);
 
       exprt result(array.id(), expr.type());
-      result.copy_to_operands(array.op0(), final_offset);
+      result.add_to_operands(array.op0(), final_offset);
       expr.swap(result);
 
       simplify_rec(expr);
diff --git a/src/util/simplify_expr_int.cpp b/src/util/simplify_expr_int.cpp
index 0e77748394f..df5deccfd45 100644
--- a/src/util/simplify_expr_int.cpp
+++ b/src/util/simplify_expr_int.cpp
@@ -477,7 +477,7 @@ bool simplify_exprt::simplify_plus(exprt &expr)
       exprt op0 = plus_expr.op0();
 
       if(plus_expr.op0().op1().id() == ID_plus)
-        op0.op1().copy_to_operands(expr.op1());
+        op0.op1().add_to_operands(expr.op1());
       else
         op0.op1()=plus_exprt(op0.op1(), expr.op1());
 
diff --git a/src/util/std_code.h b/src/util/std_code.h
index 7b550bd1c5e..6e17b9566a9 100644
--- a/src/util/std_code.h
+++ b/src/util/std_code.h
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ class code_blockt:public codet
 
   void add(const codet &code)
   {
-    copy_to_operands(code);
+    add_to_operands(code);
   }
 
   void add(codet &&code)
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ class code_assignt:public codet
 
   code_assignt(const exprt &lhs, const exprt &rhs):codet(ID_assign)
   {
-    copy_to_operands(lhs, rhs);
+    add_to_operands(lhs, rhs);
   }
 
   exprt &lhs()
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ class code_declt:public codet
 
   explicit code_declt(const exprt &symbol):codet(ID_decl)
   {
-    copy_to_operands(symbol);
+    add_to_operands(symbol);
   }
 
   exprt &symbol()
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ class code_assumet:public codet
 
   explicit code_assumet(const exprt &expr):codet(ID_assume)
   {
-    copy_to_operands(expr);
+    add_to_operands(expr);
   }
 
   const exprt &assumption() const
@@ -447,7 +447,7 @@ class code_assertt:public codet
 
   explicit code_assertt(const exprt &expr):codet(ID_assert)
   {
-    copy_to_operands(expr);
+    add_to_operands(expr);
   }
 
   const exprt &assertion() const
@@ -1002,7 +1002,7 @@ class code_returnt:public codet
 
   explicit code_returnt(const exprt &_op):codet(ID_return)
   {
-    copy_to_operands(_op);
+    add_to_operands(_op);
   }
 
   const exprt &return_value() const
@@ -1126,7 +1126,7 @@ class code_switch_caset:public codet
   code_switch_caset(
     const exprt &_case_op, const codet &_code):codet(ID_switch_case)
   {
-    copy_to_operands(_case_op, _code);
+    add_to_operands(_case_op, _code);
   }
 
   bool is_default() const
@@ -1256,7 +1256,7 @@ class code_asmt:public codet
 
   explicit code_asmt(const exprt &expr):codet(ID_asm)
   {
-    copy_to_operands(expr);
+    add_to_operands(expr);
   }
 
   const irep_idt &get_flavor() const
@@ -1303,7 +1303,7 @@ class code_expressiont:public codet
 
   explicit code_expressiont(const exprt &expr):codet(ID_expression)
   {
-    copy_to_operands(expr);
+    add_to_operands(expr);
   }
 
   const exprt &expression() const
@@ -1748,7 +1748,7 @@ class code_landingpadt:public codet
   explicit code_landingpadt(const exprt &catch_expr):
   codet(ID_exception_landingpad)
   {
-    copy_to_operands(catch_expr);
+    add_to_operands(catch_expr);
   }
   const exprt &catch_expr() const
   {
@@ -1825,9 +1825,7 @@ class code_try_catcht:public codet
 
   void add_catch(const code_declt &to_catch, const codet &code_catch)
   {
-    operands().reserve(operands().size()+2);
-    copy_to_operands(to_catch);
-    copy_to_operands(code_catch);
+    add_to_operands(to_catch, code_catch);
   }
 };
 
diff --git a/src/util/std_expr.h b/src/util/std_expr.h
index 1c7161ed31d..60b9815ac2b 100644
--- a/src/util/std_expr.h
+++ b/src/util/std_expr.h
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ class ternary_exprt : public exprt
     const typet &_type)
     : exprt(_id, _type)
   {
-    copy_to_operands(_op0, _op1, _op2);
+    add_to_operands(_op0, _op1, _op2);
   }
 
   const exprt &op3() const = delete;
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ class unary_exprt:public exprt
     const exprt &_op):
     exprt(_id, _op.type())
   {
-    copy_to_operands(_op);
+    add_to_operands(_op);
   }
 
   unary_exprt(
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ class unary_exprt:public exprt
     const typet &_type):
     exprt(_id, _type)
   {
-    copy_to_operands(_op);
+    add_to_operands(_op);
   }
 
   const exprt &op() const
@@ -644,7 +644,7 @@ class predicate_exprt:public exprt
     const irep_idt &_id,
     const exprt &_op):exprt(_id, bool_typet())
   {
-    copy_to_operands(_op);
+    add_to_operands(_op);
   }
 
   predicate_exprt(
@@ -652,7 +652,7 @@ class predicate_exprt:public exprt
     const exprt &_op0,
     const exprt &_op1):exprt(_id, bool_typet())
   {
-    copy_to_operands(_op0, _op1);
+    add_to_operands(_op0, _op1);
   }
 };
 
@@ -758,7 +758,7 @@ class binary_exprt:public exprt
     const exprt &_rhs):
     exprt(_id, _lhs.type())
   {
-    copy_to_operands(_lhs, _rhs);
+    add_to_operands(_lhs, _rhs);
   }
 
   binary_exprt(
@@ -768,7 +768,7 @@ class binary_exprt:public exprt
     const typet &_type):
     exprt(_id, _type)
   {
-    copy_to_operands(_lhs, _rhs);
+    add_to_operands(_lhs, _rhs);
   }
 
   const exprt &op2() const = delete;
@@ -926,7 +926,7 @@ class multi_ary_exprt:public exprt
     const exprt &_rhs):
     exprt(_id, _lhs.type())
   {
-    copy_to_operands(_lhs, _rhs);
+    add_to_operands(_lhs, _rhs);
   }
 
   multi_ary_exprt(
@@ -936,7 +936,7 @@ class multi_ary_exprt:public exprt
     const typet &_type):
     exprt(_id, _type)
   {
-    copy_to_operands(_lhs, _rhs);
+    add_to_operands(_lhs, _rhs);
   }
 };
 
@@ -2326,7 +2326,7 @@ class and_exprt:public multi_ary_exprt
   and_exprt(const exprt &op0, const exprt &op1, const exprt &op2):
     multi_ary_exprt(ID_and, bool_typet())
   {
-    copy_to_operands(op0, op1, op2);
+    add_to_operands(op0, op1, op2);
   }
 
   and_exprt(
@@ -2448,7 +2448,7 @@ class or_exprt:public multi_ary_exprt
   or_exprt(const exprt &op0, const exprt &op1, const exprt &op2):
     multi_ary_exprt(ID_or, bool_typet())
   {
-    copy_to_operands(op0, op1, op2);
+    add_to_operands(op0, op1, op2);
   }
 
   or_exprt(
@@ -2615,7 +2615,7 @@ class bitor_exprt:public multi_ary_exprt
   bitor_exprt(const exprt &_op0, const exprt &_op1):
     multi_ary_exprt(ID_bitor, _op0.type())
   {
-    copy_to_operands(_op0, _op1);
+    add_to_operands(_op0, _op1);
   }
 };
 
@@ -2724,7 +2724,7 @@ class bitand_exprt:public multi_ary_exprt
   bitand_exprt(const exprt &_op0, const exprt &_op1):
     multi_ary_exprt(ID_bitand, _op0.type())
   {
-    copy_to_operands(_op0, _op1);
+    add_to_operands(_op0, _op1);
   }
 };
 
@@ -3073,7 +3073,7 @@ class extractbits_exprt:public exprt
     const exprt &_lower,
     const typet &_type):exprt(ID_extractbits, _type)
   {
-    copy_to_operands(_src, _upper, _lower);
+    add_to_operands(_src, _upper, _lower);
   }
 
   extractbits_exprt(
@@ -3417,7 +3417,7 @@ class with_exprt:public exprt
     const exprt &_new_value):
     exprt(ID_with, _old.type())
   {
-    copy_to_operands(_old, _where, _new_value);
+    add_to_operands(_old, _where, _new_value);
   }
 
   DEPRECATED("use with_exprt(old, where, new_value) instead")
@@ -3501,7 +3501,7 @@ class index_designatort:public exprt
   explicit index_designatort(const exprt &_index):
     exprt(ID_index_designator)
   {
-    copy_to_operands(_index);
+    add_to_operands(_index);
   }
 
   const exprt &index() const
@@ -3707,7 +3707,7 @@ class array_update_exprt:public exprt
     const exprt &_new_value):
     exprt(ID_array_update, _array.type())
   {
-    copy_to_operands(_array, _index, _new_value);
+    add_to_operands(_array, _index, _new_value);
   }
 
   array_update_exprt():exprt(ID_array_update)
@@ -4184,7 +4184,7 @@ class ieee_float_op_exprt:public exprt
     const exprt &_rm):
     exprt(_id)
   {
-    copy_to_operands(_lhs, _rhs, _rm);
+    add_to_operands(_lhs, _rhs, _rm);
   }
 
   exprt &lhs()
@@ -4464,7 +4464,7 @@ class concatenation_exprt:public exprt
     const exprt &_op0, const exprt &_op1, const typet &_type):
     exprt(ID_concatenation, _type)
   {
-    copy_to_operands(_op0, _op1);
+    add_to_operands(_op0, _op1);
   }
 };
 
diff --git a/src/util/string_expr.h b/src/util/string_expr.h
index dd44684140f..8c9e9f3d771 100644
--- a/src/util/string_expr.h
+++ b/src/util/string_expr.h
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ class refined_string_exprt : public struct_exprt,
     const typet &type)
     : struct_exprt(type)
   {
-    copy_to_operands(_length, _content);
+    add_to_operands(_length, _content);
   }
 
   refined_string_exprt(const exprt &_length, const exprt &_content)