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escalade

Esacalade is a noun of French origin meaning the act of scaling or the climb. In historical contexts, escalade denotes the direct assault on a fortified position by climbing over walls, usually with ladders, hooks, or ramps. This siege tactic appeared in antiquity and persisted through the medieval and early modern periods as a method to breach defenses when other breaches were unavailable. Successful escalades depended on surprise, coordination between infantry and engineers, and protection from supporting fire; ladders, grapnels, and portable ramps were common tools. As artillery and fortifications advanced, escalade became less common in professional warfare.

In modern French, escalade has a broad meaning and is the standard term for climbing in a

In English, escalade is primarily a historical or literary term and is not commonly used to describe

general
sense,
including
the
sport
of
rock
climbing
and
mountaineering.
It
covers
indoor
climbing
gyms
as
well
as
outdoor
routes,
and
is
used
in
education,
sport,
and
recreation.
The
term
escalade
sportive
is
sometimes
used
to
refer
to
climbing
competitions
and
organized
programs.
everyday
climbing.
It
appears
mainly
in
historical
works
or
translations
of
French
texts
dealing
with
siege
warfare,
archaeology,
or
linguistic
history.
The
word
remains
of
interest
to
historians
studying
siegecraft
and
to
enthusiasts
exploring
the
linguistic
history
of
mountaineering
and
climbing.