Quick Definition
τήρησις, εως, ἡ n.f. a prison, observance
Strong's Definition
from 5083; a watching, i.e. (figuratively) observance, or (concretely) a prison
KJV Usage: hold
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, f. | -εως
37.122 · Control, Rule · Guard, Watch Over
to guard, to keep watch, custody to continue to hold in custody The act of holding someone in custody or guarding an individual may be expressed as ‘standing guard to see that someone will not escape’ or ‘watching carefully so that one cannot run off’ or ‘tying someone up so that he cannot leave.’
7.24 · Constructions · Buildings
jail, prison a place of detention Practically all languages have terms for a jail or a prison, though in some instances a descriptive phrase is employed, ‘a place where people are tied up’ or ‘a place to be chained.’ In some instances, highly idiomatic expressions are used, ‘a place for eating iron’ or ‘a room with rats.’
36.19 · Guide, Discipline, Follow · Obey, Disobey
to obey, to keep commandments, obedience to continue to obey orders or commandments
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
τήρησις, -ews, ἡ, (THPEw) ; a. a watching: of prisoners (Thue. 7, 86); the place where prisoners are kept, a prison, [R. V. ward]: Acts iv. 3; v. 18. b. a keeping, i. 6. complying with, obeying: τῶν ἐντολῶν, 1 Co. vii. 19; Sir. xxxv. (xxxii.) 23; νόμων, Sap. vi. 19.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
τήρησις tērēsis 3x
a keeping, custody; meton. a place of custody, prison, ward, Acts 4:3; 5:18; met. practical observance, strict performance, 1 Cor. 7:19*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
** τήρησις, -εως, ἡ
(< τηρέω), [in LXX: Wi 6:18, (Si 35 (32):23), I Mac 5:18, II Mac 3:40, III Mac 5:44 * ;]
a watching, hence, imprisonment, ward (v. Deiss., BS, 267): Ac 4:3 5:18.
a keeping: τ. ἐντολῶν (cf. Sir, Wi, ll. c., and v. Westc. on I Jo 2:3.), I Co 7:19.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
τήρησις, “‘keeping,” “protection”: cf. P Tebt I. 2733 (B.c. 113) τῶν κατ[ὰ] τὴν τήρησιν τῶν καρπῶν κατ[ὰ Tov ὑποδεικνύμένον τρόπον οἰκονομηθέντων, “‘that the protection of the crops be managed in the manner directed” (Edd.), P Oxy VII. 10705! (iii/A.D.) μὴ ἀμελήσῃς μὴ dpa ποτὲ θέλῃς plejra σ[ο]ῦ [ἩἪρ]αείδι τὴν τήρησιν τῆς ὅλης οἰκίας παραδιδόναι, ‘do not neglect this, lest indeed you choose to hand over the keeping of the whole house to Herais” (Ed.), P Grenf II. 7374 (late iii/A.p.) (= Selections, p. 118) τ]αύτην παραδέδωκα τοῖς καλοῖς καὶ πιστοῖς ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν veKpoτάφων εἰς τήρησιν, “1 have handed her over to the good and true men among the grave-diggers themselves that they
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
τήρησις (tērēsis) — jail/keeping. τήρ-ησις, εως, ἡ, watching, safe-keeping, guarding, ἀφύλακτος ἡ τ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τῆς οἰκίας [Refs 3rd c.AD+]; ἀξιώματος [Refs 5th c.BC+]; [πλούτου] [Refs 1st c.BC+]; preservation, e.g. of health, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; observance, νόμων, ἐντολῶν, [LXX+NT+2nd c.BC+]
2. vigilance, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
3. means of keeping or guarding, τὰς λιθοτομίας.., ἀσφαλεστάτην τ. the quarries.., the most secure place of custody, [NT+5th c.BC+]
II. observing, observation, τῶν καθόλου συμβαινόντων (as Empiric term) [Refs 2nd c.AD+]