Like to keep track of escalations (7)
I believe the answer is:
ascents
'escalations' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both acts as well as being plural nouns.
Maybe you can see an association between them that I don't see?
'like to keep track' is the wordplay.
'like' becomes 'as'.
'to keep' indicates putting letters inside.
'track' becomes 'scent'.
'as' going around 'scent' is 'ASCENTS'.
'of' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for ascents that I've seen before include "rises" , "Acts of climbing" .)