What does it mean to gestate?

To gestate refers to the process of carrying and developing a fetus inside the body until it is ready to be born. This term is often used in the context of pregnancy, where the fetus develops in the womb over a specific period of time. However, the concept can also extend metaphorically to describe the development of ideas or projects, where something is gradually formed or nurtured over time.

In this context, the correct answer, which is related to development, captures the essence of gestation as it implies an ongoing process of growth and evolution, whether biological or metaphorical. The other options do not accurately reflect this meaning: duplicating refers to making a copy, withdrawing implies pulling back or removing, and abstracting means to take something out from a larger context.