Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Gist \Gist\, n. [OF. giste abode, lodgings, F. g[^i]te, fr.
   g['e]sir to lie, L. jac?re, prop., to be thrown, hence, to
   lie, fr. jac?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.]

            These quails have their set gists; to wit, ordinary
            resting and baiting places.           --Holland.

   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.

Source : WordNet®

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}]