Gist/dʒɪst/ Definition 1 of 2Pro Tip 1/3Quick Understanding Use 'gist' when you understand something quickly without detail. After skimming the article, I got the gist of it. Pro Tip 2/3Casual Conversations 'Gist' is more casual; perfect for everyday talk. She told me the gist of the story on our walk. Pro Tip 3/3Context Clues To infer the 'gist', use clues from the whole conversation or text. Even with the noise, I caught the gist of his speech.