incubate
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incubate
to hatch eggs by sitting on them or by artificial heat; to develop, grow, take form: Her plan would slowly incubate in her mind.
Not to be confused with:
intubate – to insert a tube into the larynx or the like, as in a medical procedure: The doctor had to intubate the patient.
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
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.
2.
a. To maintain (eggs, organisms, or living tissue) at optimal environmental conditions for growth and development.
b. To maintain (a chemical or biochemical system) under specific conditions in order to promote a particular reaction.
3. To be infected with (a pathogen) before manifesting signs or symptoms of an infectious disease.
4. 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.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
incubate
(ˈɪnkjʊˌbeɪt)vb
1. (Zoology) (of birds) to supply (eggs) with heat for their development, esp by sitting on them
2. (Zoology) to cause (eggs, embryos, bacteria, etc) to develop, esp in an incubator or culture medium
3. (Zoology) (intr) (of eggs, embryos, bacteria, etc) to develop in favourable conditions, esp in an incubator
4. (Microbiology) (intr) (of disease germs) to remain inactive in an animal or human before causing disease
5. to develop or cause to develop gradually; foment or be fomented
[C18: from Latin incubāre to lie upon, hatch, from in-2 + cubāre to lie down]
ˌincuˈbation n
ˌincuˈbational adj
ˈincuˌbative, ˈincuˌbatory adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
in•cu•bate
(ˈɪn kyəˌbeɪt, ˈɪŋ-)v. -bat•ed, -bat•ing. v.t.
1. to sit on (eggs) for the purpose of hatching.
2. to hatch (eggs), as by sitting on them or by artificial heat.
3. to maintain at a favorable temperature and in other conditions promoting development, as prematurely born infants.
4. to develop or produce as if by hatching: pranksters incubating new schemes.
v.i. 5. to sit on eggs.
6. to undergo incubation.
[1635–45; < Latin incubātus, past participle of incubāre to lie or recline on, sit on (eggs) =in- in-2 + cubāre to lie down]
in′cu•ba`tive, adj.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
in·cu·bate
(ĭn′kyə-bāt′)1. To warm and hatch eggs by bodily heat; to brood.
2. To keep an organism, a cell, or cell cultures in conditions favorable for growth and development. ♦ The incubation of a disease is the period between the time of infection and the time the first symptoms appear. ♦ An incubator is an insulated device in which organisms, cells, or cell cultures are kept at a constant temperature and humidity.
The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
incubate
, incubation - Latin incubare, the source of incubate, literally meant "lie down on"; incubation once had the sense of sleeping in a sacred place or temple for oracular purposes.See also related terms for sleeping.
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
incubate
Past participle: incubated
Gerund: incubating
Imperative |
---|
incubate |
incubate |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
Verb | 1. | incubate - grow under conditions that promote development develop - grow, progress, unfold, or evolve through a process of evolution, natural growth, differentiation, or a conducive environment; "A flower developed on the branch"; "The country developed into a mighty superpower"; "The embryo develops into a fetus"; "This situation has developed over a long time" |
2. | incubate - sit on (eggs); "Birds brood"; "The female covers the eggs" procreate, reproduce, multiply - have offspring or produce more individuals of a given animal or plant; "The Bible tells people to procreate" hatch - emerge from the eggs; "young birds, fish, and reptiles hatch" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
يَحْضِن البَكْتيريايُفَرِّخ
líhnoutrodit sesedět na vejcíchzrát
inkubereudruge
lappang
ganga meî sóttliggja á; unga út
inkubacijainkubatoriusišperėtipereiti inkubacinį laikotarpįperėjimas
atrasties inkubācijas periodāperēt
umelo vyliahnuť
kuluçka dönemi geçirmekkuluçkaya yatmak
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
incubate
vi (lit) → ausgebrütet or bebrütet werden; (fig) → (aus)reifen, sich formen; the virus can incubate for up to 10 days → das Virus hat eine Inkubationszeit von bis zu 10 Tagen
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
incubate
[ˈɪnkjʊˌbeɪt]1. vt (eggs) → covare
2. vi (egg) → essere in incubazione; (disease) → avere un'incubazione
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
incubate
(ˈiŋkjubeit) verb1. to produce (young birds) from eggs by sitting on them or by keeping them warm by some other means.
2. (of germs or disease) to develop until signs of the disease appear. How long does chickenpox take to incubate?
ˌincuˈbation nounˈincubator noun
a heated box-like apparatus for hatching eggs or a similar one for rearing premature babies etc.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.