es·ca·late
verb/ˈeskəleɪt/
/ˈeskəleɪt/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they escalate | /ˈeskəleɪt/ /ˈeskəleɪt/ |
| he / she / it escalates | /ˈeskəleɪts/ /ˈeskəleɪts/ |
| past simple escalated | /ˈeskəleɪtɪd/ /ˈeskəleɪtɪd/ |
| past participle escalated | /ˈeskəleɪtɪd/ /ˈeskəleɪtɪd/ |
| -ing form escalating | /ˈeskəleɪtɪŋ/ /ˈeskəleɪtɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive, transitive] to become greater, worse, more serious, etc.; to make something greater, worse, more serious, etc.
（使）逐步扩大，不断恶化，加剧 - the escalating costs of healthcare
逐渐增加的医疗费用 - escalate into something The fighting escalated into a full-scale war.
这场交战逐步扩大为全面战争。 - escalate something (into something) We do not want to escalate the war.
我们不想让战争升级。
Extra Examples- The cost of raw materials has escalated sharply.
原料的成本急剧上涨。 - The risks gradually escalate.
风险逐步升级。 - Violence between the two sides has been steadily escalating.
双方的暴力冲突在逐步升级。 - The conflict could escalate rapidly into a full-scale war.
冲突可能迅速升级为全面战争。 - a small local disagreement that escalates into civil war
当地的小分歧升级为内战 - The budget escalated to £32 million.
预算增加至 3,200 万英镑。
Word Origin1920s (in the sense ‘travel on an escalator’): back-formation from escalator. - the escalating costs of healthcare