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standby Definition

standby (stand′bī′)

noun pl. -·bys′

  1. a person or thing that can always be depended on, is always effective, etc.
  2. a person or thing ready to serve or be put into service on an emergency basis or as a substitute
  3. a person waiting to board an airplane, etc. if space becomes available, as through a cancellation

adjective

of, for, or functioning as a standby

standby Idioms

on standby

ready or waiting as a standby

standby Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • have: Are crashes really rare enough to not have a hot standby?

Adjective modifier

  • spinning: Such failures would cause power cuts in the absence of the additional spinning standby.
  • constant: In England the Squadron remained on constant standby to assist in the evacuation of Cyprus.
  • permanent: Specially equipped vehicles on permanent standby for serious incident response Reliable communications are vital in the management of any public safety incident.
  • old: Well, there is that good old standby: I love you.
  • good: However, the phrase book referred to above was a good standby.
  • hot: Are crashes really rare enough to not have a hot standby?

Modifies a noun

  • generator: A standby generator was provided in the event of a power failure.
  • mode: The standby mode can be invoked 30 times second or more slowly, down to once per year.
  • diver: He was found by the standby divers, floating on the surface under the ice.
  • locomotive: Luce is used as a standby locomotive if Clyde is out of service for any reason.
  • button: The standby button is on the top of the device on most models.
  • vessel: Two years later she was converted and began a new career as a rig standby vessel in the busy southern North Sea gas fields.

Modifying Another Word

  • on: A third is on standby for 15 hours during the night at the same rate.

Noun used with modifier

  • student: Tickets: £ 9 and £ 7 concessions £ 3 student standby ( subject to availability ) at the door.
  • SAR: The crews trained at the Search and Rescue Training Squadron RAF Valley before taking over the SAR standby in October 1974.
  • hour: Onshore The Rough facility is on 24 hour standby and can feed gas into the network within approximately two hours.

Infinitive complement

  • deal: From mid October to mid April we are on standby to deal with the effects of winter weather on Kent's roads.

Preposition: in

  • case: Keep a bucket of water or sand on standby in case of a fire.

Preposition: for

  • flight: So I was put on standby for the next flight to Santiago.