This verb appears in Luke 12:29, where Jesus instructs his disciples not to be anxious about what they will eat or drink. The word literally means 'to raise up' or 'suspend,' used metaphorically for the unsettled, hovering state of anxiety. Classical Greek used it for lifting things high or being suspended uncertainly. Jesus applies it to the mental state of worry that keeps people suspended between possibilities, unable to rest. His instruction follows teaching about God's provision for birds and flowers, arguing from lesser to greater that the Father will certainly care for his children, making anxiety both unnecessary and faithless.