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Incubation vs Lurk - What's the difference?

incubation | lurk |

As nouns the difference between incubation and lurk

is that incubation is sitting on eggs for the purpose of hatching young; a brooding on, or keeping warm, to develop the life within, by any process while lurk is the act of lurking.

As a verb lurk is

to remain concealed in order to ambush.

incubation

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • Sitting on eggs for the purpose of hatching young; a brooding on, or keeping warm, to develop the life within, by any process.
  • (pathology) The development of a disease from its causes, or its period of incubation. (See below.)
  • (chemistry) A period of little reaction which is followed by more rapid reaction.
  • Sleeping in a temple or other holy place in order to have oracular dreams.
  • * 1978 , Benjamin Walker, Encyclopedia of Metaphysical Medicine , Routledge 1978, p. 144:
    • Incubation in the vicinity of burial places, cremation grounds, holy wells and sacred streams was common. The ancient Hebrews visited vaults or slept among tombs to get meaningful dreams.

    Derived terms

    * incubation period

    Related terms

    * incubate * incubative * incubator

    lurk

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To remain concealed in order to ambush.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-29, volume=407, issue=8842, page=55, magazine=(The Economist)
    • , title= Travels and travails , passage=Even without hovering drones, a lurking assassin, a thumping score and a denouement, the real-life story of Edward Snowden, a rogue spy on the run, could be straight out of the cinema. But, as with Hollywood, the subplots and exotic locations may distract from the real message: America’s discomfort and its foes’ glee.}}
  • To remain unobserved.
  • * 1898 , , (Moonfleet) Chapter 4
    • Thus my plight was evil indeed, for I had nothing now to burn to give me light, and knew that 'twas no use setting to grout till I could see to go about it. Moreover, the darkness was of that black kind that is never found beneath the open sky, no, not even on the darkest night, but lurks in close and covered places and strains the eyes in trying to see into it.
  • To hang out or wait around a location, preferably without drawing attention to oneself.
  • * 2005 , (Plato), Sophist . Translation by Lesley Brown. .
    • if we find the sophist lurking , we must round him up by royal command of the argument
  • (Internet) To view an internet forum without posting comments.

    • Derived terms

    * lurker

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The act of lurking.
  • * 1921 : George Colby Borley, The Lost Horizon
    • There were enemies on the lurk and time was against him.
  • * 1955 : John Maxwell Edmonds Longus, Daphnis et Chloe
    • ... barked furiously and made at him as at a wolf, and before he could wholly rise from the lurk because of the sudden consternation, ...
  • * 2004 : Charles Reade, A Simpleton
    • At two PM a man had called on him, and had produced one of his advertisements, and had asked him if that was all square—no bobbies on the lurk .