incubate

incubate
[ˈɪŋkjʊbeɪt]
verb
  1. [with obj.](of a bird) sit on (eggs) in order to keep them warm and bring them to hatching
    （鸟）孵（卵）
    ■(especially in a laboratory) keep (eggs, cells, bacteria, embryos, etc.) at a suitable temperature so that they develop
    （尤指在实验室内）培养（卵、细胞、细菌、胚胎等）
    the samples were incubated at 80℃ for 3 minutes.
    这些样本在80摄氏度下培养了三分钟。
    ■(N. Amer.)give support and aid the development of (a new small business)
    (北美)援助（新建小 企业）
    ■(be incubating something)have an infectious disease developing inside one before symptoms appear
    （传染病）潜伏
    the possibility that she was incubating early syphilis.
    她（体内）潜伏着早期梅毒的可能性。
    ■[no obj.]develop slowly without outward or perceptible signs
    潜伏，酝酿
    unfortunately the BSE bug incubates for around three years.
    不幸的是牛海绵状脑病病菌已经潜伏了三年左右。
语源
  1. mid 17th cent.: from Latin incubat- 'lain on', from the verb incubare, from in- 'upon' + cubare 'to lie'
英语宝典
热门查询
英语宝典
考试词汇表
　
返回
搜单词
背单词