Stand by

/ˈstændˌbaɪ̯/ · noun

Meaning

A state of readiness without immediate involvement; remaining in preparation for (a sudden or unforeseen event or situation)..

Definitions by Sense

1. A state of readiness without immediate involvement; remaining in preparation for (a sudden or unforeseen event or situation).
2. A replacement kept on standby.
3. (electronics) Sleep mode.
4. (travel) Waiting at the airport in the hope of getting a seat on a flight that is already booked out.
5. Something that is standard, well-tested, or frequently used.
6. (proscribed, nonstandard, operations) To wait briefly, as for additional communication by radio or telephone; alternative form of stand by.

Example Sentences

The troops were on standby in case of an attack.

In 1915, concurrent with the L.S.W.R. electrification, power was supplied from the Waterloo sub-station, and the old equipment held in reserve. Some generator sets were removed, and motor generators installed for standby lighting and other services.

During three weeks of the run, I was performing with walking pneumonia, but I had no choice other than to perform because we didn't have the budget for stand-bys.

That recipe is an old standby, and she keeps the ingredients around in case of unexpected guests.

The restaurant, Hop Louie, was a Chinatown standby for decades before closing in 2016.

Emerging from an Everyman Espresso shop in Park Slope, Brooklyn, last month, David Lieber, a customer, lamented what he saw as Blank Street’s targeting of a neighborhood standby.

Standby while I check that for you.

For quotations using this term, see Citations:standby.

Synonyms for stand by

Antonyms for stand by

Related Words

Word Forms

• standbys
• stand-by
• standbying
• standbyed

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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