Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A moving stairway consisting of steps attached to a continuously circulating belt.
- n. An escalator clause.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A moving stairway. It is essentially a conveyer, employing two chains which form an endless belt that travels on a double track, passing over two large sheaves, one below the floor at the foot of the stairway and one under the floor at the head of the stairway. The links of the chains support the treads and risers of a flight of steps, each pair supporting one tread and one riser. When the tracks are level, as at the landings of the stairway, the treads and risers travel on two pairs of wheels, each pair moving on one track, and the treads form a continuous platform, the risers hanging below out of sight. Where the tracks are inclined they separate, one pair of wheels following the upper track and the other the lower track; the treads separate and the risers fill the spaces between the steps, thus forming a continuous traveling stairway. In operation the belt travels over the lower sheave up the stairway and, turning downward over the second sheave, returns with the treads and risers hanging below until they are again reversed in turning upward over the lower sheave. The two landings are thus traveling horizontal walks, and the stairway is a series of steps continually moving upward. The passenger steps upon the lower platform and stands still, the steps lifting him until the upper platform is reached, where he walks off upon the floor. At the side of the casing an endless hand-rail travels upward at the same speed as the stairway. Very large escalators have two stairways, one carrying passengers up and the other down. A single escalator, having steps three feet wide, has a capacity of six thousand passengers an hour. See
conveyer .
Wiktionary
- n. A motor-driven mechanical device consisting of a continuous loop of steps that automatically conveys people from one floor to another.
- n. An upward or progressive course.
- n. An escalator clause.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. A stairway or incline arranged like an endless belt so that the steps or treads ascend or descend continuously, and one stepping upon it is carried up or down; -- originally a trade term, which has become the generic name for such devices. Such devices are in common use in large retail establishments such as department stores, and in public buildings having a heavy traffic of persons between adjacent floors.
WordNet 3.0
- n. a stairway whose steps move continuously on a circulating belt
- n. a clause in a contract that provides for an increase or a decrease in wages or prices or benefits etc. depending on certain conditions (as a change in the cost of living index)
Etymologies
- From Escalator created by American inventor Charles Seeberger in 1900, from Latin e ("from", "out of") + scala ("step") + -or, which forms nouns of agency. Formerly a trademark. See: the appendix. Broader usage may be influenced by escalate For an alternative etymology, see Online Etymology Dictionary. (Wiktionary)
- Originally a trademark. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
Examples
“The vertical displacement between each successive line reflects generational differences where each successive cohort began its ascent up the life cycle escalator, or in other words, the gradual generational decline in religious observance.”
“Conversely, the "inconvenience" that a commuter who wanted to go to the other end of Century City would have to suffer is no greater than walking from one end of the mall to the other -- or even less since an escalator from the subway would presumably bring the commuter to the street level towards the middle of the block between Santa Monica and Constellation.”
“The escalator is used to a stunning and scary effect as are the shadows and lighting effects on the old recording.”
“This next-generation escalator is patented in the U.S.,”
The Huffington Post: Levytator VIDEO: Watch The World's First Freeform, Curving Escalator In Action
“Occasionally when you come up the stairs or escalator from the metro you're also met by a ticket inspector.”
“Stunt man films himself skiing down Underground escalator: A man who filmed himself skiing down a London Underground escalator is being investigated by police.”
“So, the escalator is simply a wealth distribution re-organizing itself to be more productive.”
The Context and the Leader, Arnold Kling | EconLog | Library of Economics and Liberty
“Matsuzaka, whose contract includes flights for his family, housing, a massage therapist, physical therapist, personal assistant and interpreter, could earn an additional $8 million in escalator clauses for finishing high in the Cy Young voting.”
“What makes the Washington minimum particularly hard to manage is the fact that it has a built-in escalator, such that it rises each year based on an inflation index (as you might imagine, since labor is a major component of most goods and services, this creates a positive feedback loop).”
“Also, the Amish participants already are talking mall-speak in the first episode: Mose says his first ride on an escalator is "really freaking me out" and Ruth describes her first experiences -- visiting the beach, seeing a parking meter, seeing art in a gallery, you name it -- as "awesome.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘escalator’.
-
50 Ways to Leave Your Lover
walking, bicycle, bus, train, motorcycle, airplane, car, truck, segway, limousine, roller coaster, wheelbarrow and 130 more...
-
IMCO - EU nomenclature
includes words of the "Prodcom list"
abaca, abdominal, abrasive, absorbent, absorber, accelerator, accessory, account book, accumulator, acebutolol, acetaldehyde, acetamide and 4515 more...
-
TECH - department store terms
absorbable, access road, account book, acoustic, adding machine, adhesive, advisory service, aeration, air compressor, air conditioner, air filter, alarm system and 231 more...
-
portmanteaus
slithy, chortle, mimsy, galumph, maffluent, smog, motel, momentaneous, splisters, swifting, editated, splatter and 73 more...
-
trademark
all of these are from 7 English
dictionaries and Macquarie dictionary
I havent listed capitalized ones yet
but Viagra would be one and common
words like sterling a sub-machi...agene, airbus, alnico, adware, amberina, amarone, apiezon, aspirin, boxercise, bakelite, bromo, atebrin and 774 more...
-
Genericide
Trademarks that have lost their character as indicators of source to become a general term for a product or service.
cellophane, aspirin, butterscotch, escalator, heroin, kerosene, thermos, yo-yo, zipper, dry ice, email, freeware and 106 more...
-
marmalade's Words
coo, audible, escalator, mezzanine, calcification, aileron, tatter, harmonica, gritty, champagne, cigarette, ornithologist and 2 more...
Tweets
Looking for tweets for escalator.

Comments
No comments yet...
Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.