diff --git a/runtime/syntax/cterm.vim b/runtime/syntax/cterm.vim
index 8510f62..1b6cb28 100644
--- a/runtime/syntax/cterm.vim
+++ b/runtime/syntax/cterm.vim
@@ -140,39 +140,37 @@
 
 " Define the default highlighting.
 " Only when an item doesn't have highlighting yet
-command -nargs=+ HiLink hi def link <args>
 
-HiLink ctermStatement		Statement
-HiLink ctermFunction		Statement
-HiLink ctermStrFunction	Statement
-HiLink ctermIntFunction	Statement
-HiLink ctermLabel		Statement
-HiLink ctermConditional	Statement
-HiLink ctermRepeat		Statement
-HiLink ctermLibFunc		UserDefFunc
-HiLink ctermType		Type
-HiLink ctermFuncArg		PreCondit
+hi def link ctermStatement		Statement
+hi def link ctermFunction		Statement
+hi def link ctermStrFunction	Statement
+hi def link ctermIntFunction	Statement
+hi def link ctermLabel		Statement
+hi def link ctermConditional	Statement
+hi def link ctermRepeat		Statement
+hi def link ctermLibFunc		UserDefFunc
+hi def link ctermType		Type
+hi def link ctermFuncArg		PreCondit
 
-HiLink ctermPreVarRO		PreCondit
-HiLink ctermPreVarRW		PreConditBold
-HiLink ctermVar		Type
+hi def link ctermPreVarRO		PreCondit
+hi def link ctermPreVarRW		PreConditBold
+hi def link ctermVar		Type
 
-HiLink ctermComment		Comment
+hi def link ctermComment		Comment
 
-HiLink ctermCharacter		SpecialChar
-HiLink ctermSpecial		Special
-HiLink ctermSpecialCharacter	SpecialChar
-HiLink ctermSymbols		Special
-HiLink ctermString		String
-HiLink ctermTodo		Todo
-HiLink ctermOperator		Statement
-HiLink ctermNumber		Number
+hi def link ctermCharacter		SpecialChar
+hi def link ctermSpecial		Special
+hi def link ctermSpecialCharacter	SpecialChar
+hi def link ctermSymbols		Special
+hi def link ctermString		String
+hi def link ctermTodo		Todo
+hi def link ctermOperator		Statement
+hi def link ctermNumber		Number
 
 " redefine the colors
 "hi PreConditBold	term=bold ctermfg=1 cterm=bold guifg=Purple gui=bold
 "hi Special	term=bold ctermfg=6 guifg=SlateBlue gui=underline
 
-delcommand HiLink
 
 let b:current_syntax = "cterm"