gist

[ jist ]

/ dʒɪst /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR gist ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the main or essential part of a matter: What was the gist of his speech?

the ground of a legal action.

Words nearby gist

giscard d'estaing, giselle, gish, gismo, gissing, gist, git, git-go, git-up-and-git, gita, gitalin

Origin of gist

1720–30; < Anglo-French (cest action) gist (this matter) lies, 3rd singular present indicative of Anglo-French, Old French gesir to lie ≪ Latin jacēre

SYNONYMS FOR gist

1 essence, point, substance, burden, kernel, import.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR gist ON THESAURUS.COM

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH gist

gist jest just

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for gist

One niece of a victim wrote her a letter, the gist of which was, “Lois Robison, shut up,” she said.
Wisconsin Spa Shooting Brings Back Painful Memories for the Moms of Mass Killers|Winston Ross|October 25, 2012|DAILY BEAST
But, in short, the gist of this argument is: Afghanistan's a loser.
Don’t Abandon Afghanistan!||June 9, 2011|DAILY BEAST
These words sum up the gist of his international aims during the three following years.
Woodrow Wilson and the World War|Charles Seymour
I had entirely forgotten the gist of our conversation before I left him; he had been thinking of nothing else.
Witching Hill|E. W. Hornung

The gist of the Minority Report so far, at any rate, as the non-able-bodied are concerned may be put even more shortly.
English Poor Law Policy|Sidney Webb
As to the gist of the letter itself, it was some time before he understood it.
The Vicar of Bullhampton|Anthony Trollope
Those are not the words of her mind—only the gist of her thought.
It Never Can Happen Again|William De Morgan

British Dictionary definitions for gist

gist

/ (dʒɪst) /

noun

the point or substance of an argument, speech, etc

law the essential point of an action

Word Origin for gist

C18: from Anglo-French, as in cest action gist en this action consists in, literally: lies in, from Old French gésir to lie, from Latin jacēre, from jacere to throw

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

gist

noun

Words related to gist

Words nearby gist

Origin of gist

SYNONYMS FOR gist

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH gist

Examples from the Web for gist

British Dictionary definitions for gist

noun

Word Origin for gist