escalate
v[I, Tn]
(cause sth to) increase or develop by successive stages; become or make (sth) more intense (使某事物)逐步增长或发展; (使某事物)更紧张
the steadily escalating level of unemployment 失业率日益上升
House prices have escalated rapidly. 房价已急速上涨.
The Government is deliberately escalating the war for political reasons. 政府出於政治目的蓄意使战争逐步升级.