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.
