Definition of "escalade" [es•ca•lade]

• The act of scaling a fortified wall or rampart. (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.

• "And if all goes well the hoop should escalade up to your left hand."
• "I hope none of you big money hunters shoot it. take you escalade and go home. bring a doe back with you, they taste better."
• "But watching the local news last night is what makes this whole situation escalade into a bigger picture."