---
title: escalation — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «escalation» in the school dictionary: Escalation is when something becomes bigger, worse or more serious, step by step, like a fight or a war. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# escalation

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Escalation, something, step, they, Leaders, Walking · **What happens:** be, become, step, call, lead, push · **To what, where:** fight, escalation, war, argument, us, storm · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«escalation» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 6 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [escalation in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/escalation.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Escalation is when something becomes bigger, worse or more serious, step by step, like a fight or a war.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:escalation:m1:1
# text = Escalation is when something becomes bigger, worse or more serious, step by step, like a fight or a war.
1	Escalation	escalation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	5	mark	_	_
4	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	nsubj	_	_
5	becomes	become	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	_
6	bigger	big	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	5	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
8	worse	bad	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	6	conj	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
10	more	more	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	11	advmod	_	_
11	serious	serious	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
13	step	step	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
14	by	by	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	step	step	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
17	like	like	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	fight	fight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	xcomp	_	_
20	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	22	cc	_	_
21	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	war	war	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **be** | present | Escalation |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **become** | present | something | a fight or a war |  |  |  | big *property* | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **step** |  | step |  |  |  |  |  | nom step «act transitive»: by=agent |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A rise in amounts or prices.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:escalation:m2:1
# text = A rise in amounts or prices.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	rise	rise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	amounts	amount	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nmod	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	prices	price	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Name-calling led to an escalation, and soon they were pushing.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:escalation:x1:1
# text = Name-calling led to an escalation, and soon they were pushing.
1	Name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	1	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	calling	call	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	led	lead	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	xcomp	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	escalation	escalation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
10	soon	soon	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	13	advmod	_	_
11	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
12	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
13	pushing	push	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **lead** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | to a escalation | vn result-27.2 «NP V PP»: agent=Precondition to escalation=Patient |
| 3 | **push** | past · progressive | they |  |  |  |  | soon *property* | vn push-12-1-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Leaders met to stop the escalation of the war.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:escalation:x2:1
# text = Leaders met to stop the escalation of the war.
1	Leaders	leader	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	met	meet	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	stop	stop	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	escalation	escalation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	war	war	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **meet** | past | Leaders |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **stop** | to-infinitive | Leaders *not said here* | the escalation of the war |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: agent=Subeventuality escalation=Eventuality |
| 3 | **escalate** |  |  | the war |  |  |  |  | nom escalation «act transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
There was an escalation in prices at the shop.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:escalation:x3:1
# text = There was an escalation in prices at the shop.
1	There	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	2	expl	_	_
2	was	be	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	escalation	escalation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	prices	price	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	_
7	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	shop	shop	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **be** | past | a escalation in prices at the shop |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Walking away can prevent escalation.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:escalation:x4:1
# text = Walking away can prevent escalation.
1	Walking	walk	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	csubj	_	_
2	away	away	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	prevent	prevent	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	escalation	escalation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **walk away** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | away *property* | vn resign-10.11-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **prevent** | can | Walking | escalation |  |  |  |  | vn forbid-64.4-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Causer escalation=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The teacher stopped the argument before any escalation.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:escalation:x5:1
# text = The teacher stopped the argument before any escalation.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	stopped	stop	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	argument	argument	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	before	before	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	8	det	_	_
8	escalation	escalation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stop** | past | the teacher | the argument |  |  | before any escalation |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: agent=Affector argument=Eventuality |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The escalation of the storm forced us inside.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:escalation:x6:1
# text = The escalation of the storm forced us inside.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	escalation	escalation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	storm	storm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	forced	force	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	inside	inside	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **force** | past | the escalation of the storm |  | us |  |  | inside *property* | vn urge-58.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent we=Recipient |
| 2 | **escalate** |  |  | the storm |  |  |  |  | nom escalation «act transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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