something that preserves the body from harm or mischief. The word amounts to much the same as alexiterial.

in antiquity, was an attribute of Neptune, whom the tunny-fishers used to invoke under this appellation, that their nets might be preserved from the ἐπικείμενος, or sword-fish, which used to tear them; and that he might prevent the affluence which it was pretended the dolphins used to give the tunnies on this occasion.