Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1700-1800
Language: Anglo-French
Origin: 'it lies, it can be presented in a court of law', from Old French gesir 'to lie'

gist

 noun
     
gist

the gist

the main idea and meaning of what someone has said or written
the gist of
The gist of his argument is that full employment is impossible.
Don't worry about all the details as long as you get the gist (=understand the main meaning) of it.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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