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Gist vs Plot - What's the difference?

gist | plot |

As nouns the difference between gist and plot

is that gist is the most essential part; the main idea or substance (of a longer or more complicated matter); the crux of a matter while plot is the course of a story, comprising a series of incidents which are gradually unfolded, sometimes by unexpected means.

As verbs the difference between gist and plot

is that gist is to summarize, to extract and present the most important parts of while plot is to conceive (a crime, etc).

gist

English

Noun

  • The most essential part; the main idea or substance (of a longer or more complicated matter); the crux of a matter
  • * 1948 , , Remembrance Rock , page 103,
  • "Should they live and build their church in the American wilderness, their worst dangers would rise in and among themselves rather than outside. That was the gist of the lesson from their pastor and "wellwiller" John Robinson."
  • *
  • * 1996 , Nicky Silver, Etiquette and Vitriol , Theatre Communications Group 1996, p. 10:
  • I was really just vomiting images like spoiled sushi (that may be an ill-considered metaphor, but you get my gist ).
  • * 2003 , David McDuff, translating Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment , Penguin 2003 p. 183:
  • I don't remember his exact words, but the gist of it was that he wanted it all for nothing, as quickly as possible, without any effort.
  • (legal, dated) The essential ground for action in a suit, without which there is no cause of action.
  • (obsolete) Resting place (especially of animals), lodging.
  • * 1601 , (Philemon Holland)'s translation of (w, Pliny's Natural History) , 1st ed., book X, chapter XXIII “Of Swallowes, Ousles, or Merles, Thrushes, Stares or Sterlings, Turtles, and Stockdoves.”, p. 282:
  • These Quailes have their set gists', to wit, ordinarie resting and baiting places. [These quails have their set ' gists , to wit, ordinary resting and baiting places.]

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To summarize, to extract and present the most important parts of.
  • * 1873 , Journal of Proceedings and Addresses of the National Educational Association, session of the year 1872, at Boston, Massachusetts , page 201:
  • There are two general ways of getting information, and these two general ways may be summed up in this: take one branch of study and its principles are all gisted', they have been '''gisted''' by the accumulated thought of years gone by. These ' gisted thoughts are axioms, or received principles,
    (extract the most important) (trans-mid) (trans-bottom)

    Anagrams

    * *

    References

    * * “ gist” in (w, Bouvier's Law Dictionary), Revised 6th Ed , 1856. * ----

    plot

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The course of a story, comprising a series of incidents which are gradually unfolded, sometimes by unexpected means.
  • * Alexander Pope
  • If the plot or intrigue must be natural, and such as springs from the subject, then the winding up of the plot must be a probable consequence of all that went before.
  • An area or land used for building on or planting on.
  • A graph or diagram drawn by hand or produced by a mechanical or electronic device.
  • A secret plan to achieve an end, the end or means usually being illegal or otherwise questionable.
  • The plot would have enabled them to get a majority on the board.
    The assassination of Lincoln was part of a larger plot .
  • * Shakespeare
  • I have overheard a plot of death.
  • * Addison
  • O, think what anxious moments pass between / The birth of plots and their last fatal periods!
  • Contrivance; deep reach thought; ability to plot or intrigue.
  • * Denham
  • a man of much plot
  • Participation in any stratagem or conspiracy.
  • * Milton
  • And when Christ saith, Who marries the divorced commits adultery, it is to be understood, if he had any plot in the divorce.
  • A plan; a purpose.
  • * Jeremy Taylor
  • no other plot in their religion but serve God and save their souls

    Synonyms

    * (course of a story) storyline * (area) parcel * (secret plan) conspiracy, scheme

    Derived terms

    * Gunpowder Plot * lose the plot * plotless * subplot * the plot thickens/plot thickens

    Verb

    (plott)
  • To conceive (a crime, etc).
  • They had ''plotted a robbery.
  • To trace out (a graph or diagram).
  • They ''plotted'' the number of edits per day.
  • To mark (a point on a graph, chart, etc).
  • Every five minutes they ''plotted'' their position.
  • * Carew
  • This treatise plotteth down Cornwall as it now standeth.
  • To conceive a crime, misdeed, etc.
  • ''They were plotting against the king.

    Synonyms

    * (contrive) becast * (sense) scheme

    Derived terms

    * replot

    Anagrams

    * * English control verbs ----