gist

Etymology

From Old French gist, third person singular indicative of the verb gesir (“to lie down”), from Latin iacēre. From such Law French phrases as cest action gist, "this action lies." Equivalent to modern French gît (form of the verb gésir).

noun

1. The most essential part; the main idea or substance (of a longer or more complicated matter); the crux of a matter; the pith.
   "Should they live and build their church in the American wilderness, their worst dangers would rise in and among themselves rather than outside. That was the gist of the lesson from their pastor and "wellwiller" John Robinson." 1948, Carl Sandburg, Remembrance Rock, page 103
   I was really just vomiting images like spoiled sushi (that may be an ill-considered metaphor, but you get my gist). 1996, Nicky Silver, Etiquette and Vitriol, Theatre Communications Group, published 1996, page 10
   I don't remember his exact words, but the gist of it was that he wanted it all for nothing, as quickly as possible, without any effort. 2003, Fyodor Dostoevsky, translated by David McDuff, Crime and Punishment, Penguin, page 183
2. (law, dated) The essential ground for action in a suit, without which there is no cause of action.
3. (obsolete) Resting place (especially of animals), lodging.
   These Quailes have their set gists, to wit, ordinarie resting and baiting places. [These quails have their set gists, to wit, ordinary resting and baiting places.] 1601, Philemon Holland's translation of Pliny's Natural History, 1st ed., book X, chapter XXIII “Of Swallowes, Ousles, or Merles, Thrushes, Stares or Sterlings, Turtles, and Stockdoves.”, p. 282

verb

1. To summarize, to extract and present the most important parts of.
   There are two general ways of getting information, and these two general ways may be summed up in this: take one branch of study and its principles are all gisted, they have been gisted by the accumulated thought of years gone by. These gisted thoughts are axioms, or received principles, […] 1873, Journal of Proceedings and Addresses of the National Educational Association, session of the year 1872, at Boston, Massachusetts, page 201