Function to skip assignments and apply multiple functions This is the function:
/**
 * Apply 1..n one parameter functions to the given variable.
 *
 * @param array/mixed $callback: An array of Callback functions which accept one parameter.
 * @param $var: The variable to apply them to.
 */
function §($callback,&amp;$var) {
    if(is_array($callback)) {
        foreach($callback as $c) {
            $var = $c($var);
        }
    } else {
        $var = $callback($var);
    }
}

$a = &quot;4&quot;;

§('intval',$a);

var_dump($a);

§(['intval','exp','ceil'],$a);

var_dump($a);

Result:

int(4)
float(55)

What do you think? This functions saves typing a lot of assignments, but could it confuse users?
I like it, though it looks a lot like array_map(). I would get rid of the § symbol. Instead, 'use' a very short custom function alias that is ASCII. Something like map().

Also, you could make this more powerful if you use variadics.