A few confabs tell about an escalating affair (1,8,6)

I believe the answer is:

a snowball effect

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'an escalating affair' is the definition.
I know nothing about this answer so I cannot judge whether it can be defined by this definition.

'a few confabs tell about' is the wordplay.
'about' indicates an anagram.
'few'+'confabs'+'tell'='fewconfabstell'
'fewconfabstell' anagrammed gives 'snowballeffect'.
'a'+'snowballeffect'='A SNOWBALL EFFECT'

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I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

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