/'eskəleɪt; `ɛskə,let/
v [I, Tn] (cause sth to) increase or develop by successive stages; become or make (sth) more intense （使某事物）逐步增长或发展; （使某事物）更紧张
*the steadily escalating level of unemployment 失业率日益上升
* House prices have escalated rapidly. 房价已急速上涨.
* The Government is deliberately escalating the war for political reasons. 政府出于政治目的蓄意使战争逐步升级.

v [I and T]
[Date: 1900-2000; Origin: escalator]
if fighting, violence, or a bad situation escalates, or if someone escalates it, it becomes much worse
escalate into
　Her fear was escalating into panic.
　The fighting on the border is escalating.
　We do not want to escalate the war.
to become higher or increase, or to make something do this
　The costs were escalating alarmingly.
　policies that escalate their own costs
　escalating crime
>escalation [,eskə'leɪʃən/