Gist vs Quintessence - What's the difference?
gist | quintessence |
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,
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* 1996 , Nicky Silver, Etiquette and Vitriol , Theatre Communications Group 1996, p. 10:
* 2003 , David McDuff, translating Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment , Penguin 2003 p. 183:
(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.,
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:
A thing that is the most perfect example of its type; the most perfect embodiment of something.
A pure substance.
The essence of a thing in its purest and most concentrated form.
(alchemy) The fifth alchemical element, or essence, after earth, air, fire, and water
(physics) A hypothetical form of dark energy postulated to explain observations of an accelerating universe.
To reduce to its purest and most concentrated essence.
As nouns the difference between gist and quintessence
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 quintessence is a thing that is the most perfect example of its type; the most perfect embodiment of something.As verbs the difference between gist and quintessence
is that gist is to summarize, to extract and present the most important parts of while quintessence is to reduce to its purest and most concentrated essence.gist
English
Noun
- "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."
- I was really just vomiting images like spoiled sushi (that may be an ill-considered metaphor, but you get my gist ).
- 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.
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)- 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,
