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standby
[stand-bahy]
noun
plural
standbysa 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.
Word History and Origins
Origin of standby1
Idioms and Phrases
on standby, in a state of readiness to act, respond, or be used immediately when needed.
Example Sentences
It instructed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, most recently a former Fox News weekend host, to order active duty military on standby as well.
“We have an attorney on standby right now,” he said.
It had expected to run out of cash completely by mid-April before it secured a rescue loan and the government has been on standby to put Thames into special administration.
Even Vatican firefighters are involved; on standby in case of malfunction.
Dozens of Metropolitan Police armed officers downed tools in protest when Sgt Blake was charged with murder and the Army was put 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
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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