/voh"leuhst/ , n.
1. (formerly) a small administrative peasant division in Russia.
2. a rural soviet.
[ vólost'; ORuss volosti region, state, authority, c. OCS vlasti sovereignty, power, authority, deriv. of Slavic * vald- rule, c. Lith valdýti, Gothic waldan, OE wealdan to rule; cf. WIELD ]