Plural form of escalation; the plural instances of something increasing in intensity, seriousness, or extent.
From 'escalate,' which comes from 'escalator' (1900), the moving staircase, combined with the suffix '-tion.' The mechanical idea of ascending stairs became a metaphor for increasing intensity.
The word 'escalator' was actually a brand name (Otis Elevator Company) that became so popular it turned into the verb 'escalate'—one of the few mechanical devices that gave birth to an abstract concept!
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