φυλακή
Alt. φυ^λα^κή, ἡ,
Etym. φυλάσσω
I. "a watching or guarding, watch, guard, ward", esp. by night, φυλακῆς μνήσασθε keep watch and ward, Il.; so, φυλακὰς ἔχειν id=Il.; ὅπως ἀφανὴς εἴη ἡ φ. that there might be nothing visible "to watch", Thuc.; φυλακὴν φυλάττειν to keep "watch", Xen.; τὰς φ. ποιεῖσθαι id=Xen.; φυλακὰς καταστήσασθαι to set "watches", Ar.
2. "a watch or guard", of persons, Plat., Xen., etc.; ἡ τοῦ σώματος φ. a body "guard", Dem.:— "a guard or garrison", Hdt.; ἡ ἐν τῇ Ναυπάκτῳ φ., of a squadron of ships, Thuc.
3. of place, "a watch, station, post", Il., Xen.
4. of time, "a watch" of the night, Hdt., Eur., etc.
5. "a place for keeping" others in, "a ward, prison", Anth., NTest.
II. "a watching, guarding, keeping, preserving", whether for security or custody, ἔχειν ἐν φυλακῇ τινά to keep "guarded or occupied", Hdt.; τὸν τῆς γλώσσης χαρακτῆρα ἐν φυλακῇ ἔχειν "to preserve" the same character of language, id=Hdt.; so, διὰ φυλακῆς ἔχειν or ποιεῖσθαί τι, Thuc.:—also, φυλακὴν ἔχειν, ῀ φυλάττεσθαι, "to keep guard, be on the watch", περί τινα Hdt.; ἦσαν ἐν φυλακῇσι were "on" their "guard", id=Hdt.
2. "guardianship", Arist.
3. "a safe-guard", Isocr.
III. (from Mid.) "precaution", Plat.