Gist (?), n. [OF. giste abode,
lodgings, F. gîte, fr. gésir 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. gît, 3d pers. sing. ind. of
gésir to lie, used in a proverb, F., c'est là
que gît le lièvre, 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.