escalate

基本释义

[verb] increase rapidly
[动词] 迅速增加

深入解读

一眼看到 escalate 这个单词,往往很容易联想起熟词 escalator (自动扶梯)来。而 escalator 本身是美国著名电梯公司——奥的斯电梯公司(Otis Elevator Company)所生产的自动扶梯的品牌名,由 escalade (在攻城战中用梯子攀爬城墙等设防场所的墙壁)+ elevator (电梯)组合而来。

由于 escalator 牌电梯在市场中的份额巨大,使得该品牌名成了“自动扶梯”的代名词。等到了1922年后,则开始从 escalator 逆构出了动词 escalate ,最初用来表示“乘自动扶梯爬登、到达或向前移动”。

而到了1959年后,受当时可能爆发核战争的局势影响, escalate 开始被引申用来喻指今天的主要含义指“(使)逐步扩大、不断恶化、升级加剧”,即在规模、强度、严重性上变得更大,比如:

  • 工会和管理层都担心这场象征性的停工会恶化。
    Both unions and management fear the token stoppage could escalate.
  • 她失业后,经济问题更是雪上加霜。她以为他知道后会把她揽在怀中抚慰她。
    Her financial problems escalated after she became unemployed. She thought he would take her in his arms and soothe her when he found out.

这个概念也可以用来形容表示物价、工资、费用等“迅速上升、扶摇直上”,比如:

  • 通货膨胀率的不断上升几乎肯定会导致物价攀升。不过,偿还的按揭贷款将会因通货膨胀而贬值。
    The escalating rate of inflation will almost certainly bring escalating prices. However, mortgage payments will be eroded by inflation.

影视例句

Unexpected motion has caused the deterioration to escalate.
意外动作导致了情况加速恶化。

出自2017年上映的美国科幻动作电影《蜘蛛侠:英雄归来》(Spider-Man: Homecoming)。

外刊例句

  • But the oil-price war that has broken out between them is head-on and has swiftly escalated.
    但在两国间爆发的这场石油价格战中,双方正面交锋,且战事迅速升级。
    ——《经济学人》
  • The rest of the world now frets about becoming collateral damage in an escalating trade war.
    世界上的其他国家现在都担心自己会在一场不断升级的贸易战中遭受附带伤害。
    ——《纽约时报》

详细用法

动词用法:

  1. Escalate a conflict – 升级冲突。例如:”The political tension escalated into a full-blown conflict.”(政治紧张局势升级为全面冲突。)
  2. Escalate tensions – 加剧紧张局势。例如:”The provocative actions by both sides escalated tensions in the region.”(双方的挑衅行为加剧了该地区的紧张局势。)
  3. Escalate a dispute – 升级争端。例如:”The disagreement between the two countries escalated into a legal dispute.”(两国之间的分歧升级为法律争端。)
  4. Escalate violence – 升级暴力行为。例如:”The rioting escalated when the police used tear gas to disperse the crowd.”(警方使用催泪瓦斯驱散人群后,骚乱进一步升级。)
  5. Escalate a situation – 使局势升级。例如:”The protest escalated as more people joined in and clashed with the authorities.”(随着更多人加入并与当局发生冲突,抗议活动不断升级。)
  6. Escalate hostilities – 升级敌对行动。例如:”The ongoing border dispute escalated hostilities between the two neighboring countries.”(持续不断的边界争端加剧了两个邻国之间的敌对行动。)
  7. Escalate a crisis – 升级危机。例如:”The mishandling of the situation by the government escalated the economic crisis.”(政府对局势处理不当导致经济危机升级。)
  8. Escalate a disagreement – 加剧分歧。例如:”The heated argument escalated the disagreement between the siblings.”(激烈的争论加剧了兄弟姐妹之间的分歧。)
  9. Escalate a problem – 使问题升级。例如:”Ignoring the early signs can escalate a minor issue into a major problem.”(忽视早期的迹象可能会使一个小问题升级为一个重大问题。)
  10. Escalate military actions – 加强军事行动。例如:”The country decided to escalate military actions in response to the escalating threat from the neighboring nation.”(该国决定加强军事行动,以应对邻国日益升级的威胁。)
  11. Escalate an argument – 升级争论。例如:”Their heated exchange escalated into a shouting match.”(他们激烈的交锋升级为一场争吵。)
  12. Escalate pressure – 加大压力。例如:”The company escalated pressure on its employees to meet the tight deadline.”(公司加大对员工的压力,以满足紧迫的截止日期。)

常见短语

短语使用”escalate”的方式:

  1. Escalate a conflict – 升级冲突
  2. Escalate tensions – 加剧紧张局势
  3. Escalate a dispute – 升级争端
  4. Escalate violence – 升级暴力行为
  5. Escalate a situation – 使局势升级
  6. Escalate hostilities – 升级敌对行动
  7. Escalate a crisis – 升级危机
  8. Escalate a disagreement – 加剧分歧
  9. Escalate a problem – 使问题升级
  10. Escalate military actions – 加强军事行动
  11. Escalate an argument – 升级争论
  12. Escalate pressure – 加大压力
  13. Escalate a confrontation – 升级对抗
  14. Escalate a protest – 激化抗议
  15. Escalate a negotiation – 升级谈判
  16. Escalate a disagreement – 加剧分歧
  17. Escalate tensions – 加剧紧张局势
  18. Escalate a crisis – 升级危机
  19. Escalate a conflict – 升级冲突
  20. Escalate violence – 升级暴力行为
  21. Escalate a situation – 使局势升级
  22. Escalate hostilities – 升级敌对行动
  23. Escalate a dispute – 升级争端
  24. Escalate a problem – 使问题升级
  25. Escalate military actions – 加强军事行动
  26. Escalate an argument – 升级争论
  27. Escalate pressure – 加大压力
  28. Escalate a confrontation – 升级对抗
  29. Escalate a protest – 激化抗议
  30. Escalate a negotiation – 升级谈判

同近义词

surge: increase suddenly and powerfully, typically during an otherwise stable or quiescent period
soar: increase rapidly above the usual level
spiral: show a continuous and dramatic increase

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