Definition of "escalation" []

• An increase or rise, especially one to counteract a perceived discrepancy (noun)
• A deliberate or premeditated increase in the violence or geographic scope of a conflict (noun)

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• "Human-rights groups have been especially critical of what they call an escalation in army violence against ethnic minorities this year, and many U.S. congressional leaders are leery of Myanmar's ties with Pyongyang."
• "As my colleague Joe notes, Bush continues to assert that the escalation is an Iraqi plan."
• "I also find it insanely ridiculous that CNN goes out of its way to note that Democrats coined the term escalation without any acknowlegement that Condi coined the term "augmentation" and was essentially laughed out of the room."