1. transitive,

a. to hold back, keep off, prevent (Homer, Iliad 1, 97 (Zenodotus); 6, 96; Plato, Crat c. 23, p. 407 b.).

b. to have wholly or in full, to have received (what one had a right to expect or demand; cf. ἀποδιδόναι, ἀπολαμβάνειν (Winers De verb. comp. etc. Part iv., p. 8; Gram. 275 (258); Buttmann, 203 (176); according to Lightfoot (on Philippians 4:18) ἀπό denotes correspondence, i. e. of the contents to the capacity, of the possession to the desire, etc.)): τινα, Philemon 1:15; μισθόν, Matthew 6:2, 5, 16; παράκλησιν, Luke 6:24; πάντα, Philippians 4:18; (often so in Greek writings (cf. Lightfoot on Philippians, the passage cited)). Hence,

c. ἀπέχει, impersonally, it is enough, sufficient: Mark 14:41, where the explanation is 'ye have slept now long enough'; so that Christ takes away the permission, just given to his disciples, of sleeping longer; cf. Meyer at the passage; (in the same sense in (Pseudo-)Anacreon () in Odar. (15) 28, 33; Cyril Alex. on Haggai 2:9 (but the true reading here seems to be ἀπέχω, see P. E. Pusey's edition Oxon. 1868)).

2. intransitive, to be away, absent, distant (Buttmann, 144 (126)): absolutely, Luke 15:20; ἀπό, Luke 7:6; Luke 24:13; Matt. ( Tr text WH text); ; Mark 7:6 (Isaiah 29:13).

3. Middle to hold oneself off, abstain: ἀπό τίνος, from anything, Acts 15:20 (R G); 1 Thessalonians 4:3; 1 Thessalonians 5:22 (Job 1:1; Job 2:3; Ezekiel 8:6); τίνος, Acts 15:29; 1 Timothy 4:3; 1 Peter 2:11. (So in Greek writings from Homer down.)