from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Incubate \In"cu*bate\, v. i. & t. [imp. & p. p. {Incubated}; p.
pr. & vb. n. {Incubating}.] [L. incubatus, p. p. incubare to
lie on; pref. in- in, on + cubare to lie down. Cf. {Cubit},
{Incumbent}.]
1. To sit, as on eggs for hatching; to brood; to brood upon,
or keep warm, as eggs, for the purpose of hatching.
[1913 Webster]
2. To maintain (a living organism, such as microorganisms or
a premature baby) under appropriate conditions, such as of
temperature, humidity, or atmospheric composition, for
growth; as, coliform bacteria grow best when incubated at
37[deg] C..
[PJC]
3. To develop gradually in some interior environment, until
fully formed; as, the ideas for his book were incubating
for two years before he began to write.
[PJC]