incu

n. [ L. incubatio: cf. F. incubation. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A sitting on eggs for the purpose of hatching young; a brooding on, or keeping warm, (eggs) to develop the life within, by any process. Ray. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Med.) The development of a disease from its causes, or its period of incubation. (See below.) [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A sleeping in a consecrated place for the purpose of dreaming oracular dreams. Tylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The maintenance (of a living organism, such as microorganisms or a premature baby) in appropriate conditions, such as of temperature, humidity, or atmospheric composition, for growth. [ PJC ]

5. The gradual development in some interior environment, until fully formed; as, the incubation time for developing a new drug may be longer than ten years from its first discovery. [ PJC ]

Period of incubation, or
Stage of incubation (Med.), the period which elapses between exposure to the causes of an infectious disease and the attack resulting from it; the time during which an infective agent must grow in the body before producing overt symptoms of disease. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

a. Of or pertaining to incubation, or to the period of incubation. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. That which incubates, especially, an apparatus by means of which eggs are hatched by artificial heat. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An apparatus containing an enclosed chamber, used for the cultivation of microörganisms or tissue cultures by maintaining a suitable temperature and atmospheric composition. Some incubators have no provision for maintaining a special atmosphere, while in others, especially for anaerobic organisms and tissue culture, the moisture level and composition of the gases are also controlled. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

3. (Med.) An apparatus consisting of enclosed chamber, for maintaining prematurely born babies in a favorable environment until able to thrive under normal conditions. The temperature and level of oxygen in the atmosphere may be controlled. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

a. Serving for incubation. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To fix firmly, as in cube; to secure or place firmly. [ Obs. ] Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. L. incubitus. ] Incubation. [ Obs. ] J. Ellis. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ From L. incubare to lie on. ] (Bot.) Having the leaves so placed that the upper part of each one covers the base of the leaf next above it, as in hepatic mosses of the genus Frullania. See Succubous. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. E. Incubuses L. Incubi [ L., the nightmare. Cf. Incubate. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A demon; a fiend; a lascivious spirit, supposed to have sexual intercourse with women by night. Tylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

The devils who appeared in the female form were generally called succubi; those who appeared like men incubi, though this distinction was not always preserved. Lecky. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Med.) The nightmare. See Nightmare. [ 1913 Webster ]

Such as are troubled with incubus, or witch-ridden, as we call it. Burton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Any oppressive encumbrance or burden; anything that prevents the free use of the faculties. [ 1913 Webster ]

Debt and usury is the incubus which weighs most heavily on the agricultural resources of Turkey. J. L. Farley. [ 1913 Webster ]