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incubate

 - 4 dictionary results

in⋅cu⋅bate

  [in-kyuh-beyt, ing-] verb, -bat⋅ed, -bat⋅ing.
Use incubate in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to sit upon (eggs) for the purpose of hatching.
2. to hatch (eggs), as by sitting upon them or by artificial heat.
3. to maintain at a favorable temperature and in other conditions promoting development, as cultures of bacteria or prematurely born infants.
4. to develop or produce as if by hatching; give form to: His brain was incubating schemes for raising money.
–verb (used without object)
5. to sit upon eggs.
6. to undergo incubation.
7. to develop; grow; take form: A plan was slowly incubating in her mind.
Origin:
1635–45; < L incubātus ptp. of incubāre to lie or recline on, to sit on (eggs), equiv. to in- in- 2 + cub(āre) to sit, lie down + -ātus -ate 1 ; cf. incumbent, concubine

Related forms:
in⋅cu⋅ba⋅tive, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To incubate
in·cu·bate   (ĭn'kyə-bāt', ĭng'-)   
v.   in·cu·bat·ed, in·cu·bat·ing, in·cu·bates

v.   tr.

  1. To sit on (eggs) to provide heat, so as to promote embryonic development and the hatching of young; brood.

    1. To maintain (eggs, organisms, or living tissue) at optimal environmental conditions for growth and development.

    2. To maintain (a chemical or biochemical system) under specific conditions in order to promote a particular reaction.

  3. To form or consider slowly and protectively, as if hatching: incubated the idea for a while, then announced it.

v.   intr.

  1. To brood eggs.

  2. To develop and hatch.

  3. To undergo incubation.


[Latin incubāre, incubāt-, to lie down on : in-, on; see in-2 + cubāre, to lie down.]
in'cu·ba'tive adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: in·cu·bate
Pronunciation: 'i[ng]-ky&-"bAt, 'in-
Function: verb
Inflected Forms: -bat·ed; -bat·ing
transitive senses
1 : to maintain (as eggs, embryos of animals, or bacteria) under prescribed and usually controlled conditions favorable for hatching or developmentespecially in an incubator
2 : to maintain (a chemically active system) under controlled conditions for the development of a reaction incubate intransitive senses
: to undergo incubation incubated for five days>
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

incubate in·cu·bate (ĭn'kyə-bāt', ĭng'-)
v. in·cu·bat·ed, in·cu·bat·ing, in·cu·bates

  1. To maintain eggs, organisms, or living tissue at optimal environmental conditions for growth and development.

  2. To maintain a chemical or biochemical system under specific conditions in order to promote a particular reaction.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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