escalate

• POS: Verb (usu participle)
• HYPHEN: es=ca=late

OXFORD DICTIONARY

escalate, v.
1 intr. & tr. increase or develop (usu. rapidly) by stages.
2 tr. cause (an action, activity, or process) to become more intense.

Derivative

escalation n.

Etymology

back-form. f. ESCALATOR

THESAURUS

escalate

boost, broaden, buoy up, cast up, climb, elevate, enlarge, erect, escalade, expand, grow, heave, heft, heighten, heist, hike, hoick, hoist, hold up, increase, intensify, jerk up, knock up, levitate, lift, lift up, lob, loft, mount, perk up, raise, raise up, rear, rear up, rise, scale, set up, sky, spread, stick up, throw up, up, upbuoy, upcast, upclimb, upgo, upheave, uphoist, uphold, uplift, upraise, uprear, upthrow, widen