v.
Pronunciation: ' es-k ə - ˌ l ā t, ÷-ky ə -
Function: verb
Inflected Form: -lat · ed ; -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 \ ˌ es-k ə - ' l ā -sh ə n, ÷-ky ə - \ noun
– es · ca · la · to · ry \ ' es-k ə -l ə - ˌ to ̇ r- ē , ÷-ky ə - \ adjective