Definition of "ascent" []

• The act or process of rising or going upward. (noun)
• An advancement, especially in social status. (noun)
• An upward slope or incline. (noun)
• A going back in time or upward in genealogical succession. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Bronowski summarizes a key factor in what he calls the ascent of Man, and one thing to keep in mind here is that he's not talking about some amazing engineering triumph or complex scientific discovery - he's standing before a piece of abstract sculpture."
• "Energetic and affable, Deacon helped steer Georgetown's ascent from a provincial to national university, building a cross-country network of alumni and recruitment to mirror those of the Ivy League schools."
• "I think the point has been well made that his ascent is exploration only in a personal sense, so there are few lessons about exploration that pertain to nationally funded space exploration."