Read along with the three podcasts, or open the full dictionary entry for Fist for the definition, Arabic meaning, synonyms and example sentences.
Narrator: Today's word is "Fist" — noun, pronounced /fɪst/, with the stress on "fist".
Narrator: A fist is a hand with the fingers closed tightly into the palm.
Narrator: In plain English, a fist is a clenched hand — like raising a fist in anger or solidarity.
Narrator: It comes from the Old English fyst, meaning a fist, of Germanic origin.
Narrator: "To clench one's fist" describes closing one's hand tightly, often in anger.
Narrator: It differs from hand because fist specifically means closed, whereas hand is open.
Narrator: "To make a fist" is a sense meaning to form a fist by closing the fingers.
Narrator: Anatomy, sport, boxing, gestures and everyday speech all rely on the word fist.
Narrator: So remember: a fist is a clenched hand, from the Old English fyst.
Speaker A: What is a fist?
Speaker B: A clenched hand! FIST comes from the Old English fyst, so it means a hand with the fingers closed tightly into the palm.
Speaker A: So you clench your fist in anger?
Speaker B: Yes — or to punch!
Speaker A: Example sentences?
Speaker B: "To clench one's fist"; "to make a fist"; "a fist fight" — anger, action and conflict.
Speaker A: Common mistakes?
Speaker B: Don't confuse fist with wrist, because a fist is a closed hand, while a wrist is the joint.
Speaker A: Close relatives?
Speaker B: 'Hand' the open cousin, 'punch' the blow twin, 'grip' the holding alternative. The word keeps its clenched charm!
Speaker B: Let's use "fist" in AI prompts — useful for sport apps and anatomy tools.
Speaker A: So a prompt could frame sport?
Speaker B: Right. For a sport app, you'd write:
Prompt: Write a short guide to making a fist for boxing, naming two steps.
Speaker A: How about an anatomy tool?
Speaker B: Ask the model to describe:
Prompt: Draft a fact sheet on the fist, naming two functions.
Speaker A: Could it help with a gesture bot?
Speaker B: Yes, you can frame meaning:
Prompt: Summarise in two sentences what a raised fist symbolises, naming one meaning.
Speaker A: One more?
Speaker B: For a writing chatbot, try this:
Prompt: Write a short scene with a clenched fist, naming one emotion.
Fist — meaning in Arabic & definition More F courses GL Dictionary