Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
noun
- the main or essential part of a matter: What was the gist of his speech?
- the ground of a legal action.
noun
- the point or substance of an argument, speech, etc
- law the essential point of an action
1711, “the real point” (of a law case, etc.), from Anglo-French legalese phrases, e.g. cest action gist “this action lies,” meaning “this case is sustainable by law,” from Old French gist en “it consists in, it lies in” (third person singular present indicative of gésir “to lie”), from Latin iacet “it lies,” from iacere “to lie, rest,” related to iacere “to throw” (see jet (v.)). Extended sense of “essence” first recorded 1823.