Main Entry: es·ca·late

Pronunciation: \ˈes-kə-ˌlāt, ÷-kyə-\

Function: verb

Inflected Form(s): es·ca·lat·ed; es·ca·lat·ing

Etymology: back-formation from escalator

Date: 1944

intransitive verb : to increase in extent, volume, number, amount, intensity, or scope <a little war threatens to escalate into a huge ugly one — Arnold Abrams>transitive verb : expand 2

— es·ca·la·tion \ˌes-kə-ˈlā-shən, ÷-kyə-\ noun

— es·ca·la·to·ry \ˈes-kə-lə-ˌtȯr-ē, ÷-kyə-\ adjective