to maintain (something) under conditions favourable for hatching, development, growth, etc
said of a bird: to sit on (eggs) so as to hatch them by the warmth of the body
to maintain (something) under conditions favourable for hatching, development, growth, reaction, etc
to develop (a disease), esp without any noticeable symptoms
to cause (e.g. an idea) to develop
to incubate something or be incubated
incubation /-ʹbaysh(ə)n/ noun
incubative /-tiv/ adj
incubatory adj
[Latin incubatus, past part. of incubare, from in-2 + cubare to lie]