to escalate
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to escalate
To increase or intensify gradually and uncontrollably, especially with conflicts, violence, or negative situations.
Die Demonstration drohte zu eskalieren, als die ersten Steine flogen.
The demonstration threatened to escalate when the first stones were thrown.
to escalate
In business or project management: to pass a problem or task on to a higher level of hierarchy or a responsible department because you cannot solve it yourself.
Da der Supportmitarbeiter das Problem nicht lösen konnte, musste er den Fall an die Technik eskalieren.
Since the support employee could not solve the problem, he had to escalate the case to technical support.
When 'eskalieren' (to escalate) describes an uncontrolled intensification, it forms the perfect tense with 'sein' because it expresses a change of state. In a business context, when it is an active forwarding of something, 'haben' is used.
Der Streit zwischen den Nachbarn ist gestern Abend eskaliert.
The argument between the neighbors escalated yesterday evening.
The two meanings can be distinguished grammatically. When a situation gets worse, the verb is intransitive ('Die Lage eskaliert' — the situation escalates). In a business context, it is transitive and needs an accusative object ('Der Manager eskaliert den Fall' — the manager escalates the case).
Die Proteste eskalierten schnell.
The protests escalated quickly.
In the meaning 'sich verschärfen' (to intensify), the subjects are typically negative situations. Common subjects are: 'ein Streit' (an argument), 'ein Konflikt' (a conflict), 'die Gewalt' (the violence), or 'die Lage' (the situation).
Die politische Lage im Land droht zu eskalieren.
The political situation in the country threatens to escalate.
The meaning 'an eine höhere Stelle weiterleiten' (to pass on to a higher authority) is technical language from project management and office settings. The structure is often: 'etwas (Akk.) an jemanden (Akk.) eskalieren' (to escalate something to someone).
Wenn Sie keine Antwort erhalten, müssen Sie die Anfrage an die Abteilungsleitung eskalieren.
If you do not receive an answer, you have to escalate the request to the department management.
to increase
Sich steigern and eskalieren can both express increasing intensity. Sich steigern is also possible for neutral developments. Eskalieren, on the other hand, refers to a gradual, uncontrolled worsening and is especially suitable for conflicts, violence, and other negative situations.
Nach der ersten Drohung eskaliert der Streit zwischen den beiden Kollegen.
The argument between the two colleagues escalates after the first threat.
Im Laufe der Diskussion steigert sich die Spannung zwischen den beiden Kollegen.
The tension between the two colleagues intensifies over the course of the discussion.
