(~s)
1.
A ~ is a noise that gets louder and louder. Some people also use ~ to refer to the point when a noise is at its loudest.
The applause rose to a ~ and cameras clicked.
N-COUNT: usu sing, oft N of n
2.
People sometimes describe an increase in the intensity of something, or its most intense point, as a ~. (JOURNALISM)
There was a ~ of parliamentary and press criticism...
N-COUNT: usu sing
3.
In music, a ~ is a section of a piece of music in which the music gradually gets louder and louder.
N-COUNT: usu sing