I.a watcher, guard, sentinel, Lat. excubitor, Hom., attic; οἱ φ. the garrison, Thuc., Xen., etc.; φύλακες τοῦ σώματος body guards, Plat.;—also as fem., κλῇς ἐπὶ γλώσσῃ φ. Soph., Eur., etc.
II.a guardian, keeper, protector, Hes., etc.;—c. gen. objecti, φ. δορός a protector against it, the spear, Eur.
2.an observer, τοῦ δόγματος Plat.; τοῦ ἐπιταττομένου Xen.
3.of things, φύλακες ἐπὶ τοῖς ὠνίοις, of the ἀγορανόμοι, Lys.