STANDBY Definition & Meaning

View synonyms for

standby

or stand-by

[ stand-bahy ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

plural standbys.

a staunch supporter or adherent; one who can be relied upon.
something upon which one can rely and therefore choose or use regularly.
something or someone held ready to serve as a substitute, especially a radio or television program used as a filler in case of cancellation of a regularly scheduled program.
a traveler who is waiting for last-minute accommodations to become available on a plane, train, or other transport as a result of a cancellation.

adjective

kept readily available for use in an emergency, shortage, or the like:
a standby player.
of or relating to last-minute accommodations, the transport that offers them, or a traveler who is waiting for them:
a standby flight.
of or relating to a waiting period.

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of standby¹

First recorded in 1790–1800; noun, adj. use of verb phrase stand by

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Idioms and Phrases

on standby, in a state of readiness to act, respond, or be used immediately when needed.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Because it was unclear how much explosive materials were on the property, multiple agencies were on standby in case there was any potential disaster.

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Since the dire state of the company's finances first emerged about 18 months ago, the government has been on standby to put Thames into special administration.

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Teams with special dogs and a mobile operations centre have also been sent to the island, while helicopters are on standby in case of emergency.

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His was one of several teams on standby in case one of the hostages had a medical emergency and says there were strict instructions about how to interact with those who returned.

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He said eight ambulances had been dispatched and hospitals were on standby.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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