From WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003) [wn]:
gist
n 1: the central meaning or theme of a speech or literary work
[syn: effect, essence, burden, core]
2: the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some
idea or experience; "the gist of the prosecutor's
argument"; "the heart and soul of the Republican Party";
"the nub of the story" [syn: kernel, substance,
core, center, essence, heart, heart and soul,
inwardness, marrow, meat, nub, pith, sum,
nitty-gritty]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Gist \Gist\ (j[i^]st), n. [OF. giste abode, lodgings, F.
g[^i]te, fr. g['e]sir to lie, L. jac[=e]re, prop., to be
thrown, hence, to lie, fr. jac[e^]re to throw. In the second
sense fr. OF. gist, F. g[^i]t, 3d pers. sing. ind. of
g['e]sir to lie, used in a proverb, F., c'est l[`a] que
g[^i]t le li[`e]vre, it is there that the hare lies, i. e.,
that is the point, the difficulty. See Jet a shooting
forth, and cf. Agist, Joist, n., Gest a stage in
traveling.]
1. A resting place. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
These quails have their set gists; to wit, ordinary
resting and baiting places. --Holland.
[1913 Webster]
2. The main point, as of a question; the point on which an
action rests; the pith of a matter; as, the gist of a
question.
[1913 Webster]