different between escalate vs escalator

English

Etymology

Back-formation from escalator.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) enPR: es? k? l?t, IPA^(key): /??s.k?.le?t/

Verb

escalate (third-person singular simple present escalates, present participle escalating, simple past and past participle escalated)

1. (transitive, intransitive) To increase (something) in extent or intensity; to intensify or step up.
2. (transitive) In technical support, to transfer a customer, a problem, etc. to the next higher level of authority

   The tech 1 escalated the caller to a tech 2.

Derived terms

• de-escalate

Related terms

• escalator
• scale (verb)

Translations

English

Etymology

From the former trademark Escalator, created by American inventor Charles Seeberger in 1900, from Latin e (“from, out of”) + scala (“ladder”) + -tor, which forms nouns of agency. See the appendix. Broader usage may be influenced by escalate. For an alternative etymology, see Online Etymology Dictionary..

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /??s.k?.le?.t?/
• (US) enPR: es?k?-l?-t?r, IPA^(key): /??s.k?.le?.t?/
• Hyphenation: es?ca?la?tor

Noun

escalator (plural escalators)

1. Anything that escalates.
   • 2006, Dudley D. Cahn, Ruth Anna Abigail, Managing Conflict Through Communication (page xiv)

     Fourth, communication researchers study the role of stress and negative attitudes as key contributors to conflict, anger as an escalator of conflict, and emotional residues as barriers to reconciliation.

2. A motor-driven mechanical device consisting of a continuous loop of steps that automatically conveys people from one floor to another.

   There is a plastic molly-guard covering the escalator's shutdown button to prevent little kids from pushing it and stopping the escalator.
3. An upward or progressive course.
4. An escalator clause.

   They agreed to a cost-of-living escalator.

Derived terms

• escalator barrel
• escalator clause
• escalator school

Related terms

• escalate

Translations

See also

• movator
• moving pavement, moving sidewalk
• moving ramp
• moving walkway
• stairway
• step
• travelator

Further reading

• escalator on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• escalator on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons

References

Anagrams

• acetarsol, crotalase

French

Etymology

Borrowed from English. Genericized trademark.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?s.ka.la.t??/

Noun

escalator m (plural escalators)

1. escalator

   Synonyms: escalier roulant, escalier mécanique

Romanian

Etymology

From French escalator.

Noun

escalator n (plural escalatoare)

1. escalator

Declension