standby en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈstɛə̯ndˌbaɪ̯/ (Canada, US)
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈsteə̯ndˌbaɪ̯/ (Canada, US)
- [ˈstændˌbaɪ̯] without æ-raising
- /ˈstɛːndˌbɑ̟ɪ̯/ (Australia)
- /ˈstændˌbaɪ̯/ without æ-raising
Etymology
Deverbal from stand by.
Meanings
-
(countable, uncountable) A state of readiness without immediate involvement; remaining in preparation for (a sudden or unforeseen event or situation).
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.
1958 August 14, T. S. Lascelles, “Diamond Jubilee of the Waterloo & City Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 523:The troops were on standby in case of an attack.
-
(countable, uncountable) A replacement kept on standby.
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.
1977 December 17, Harold Pickett, quoting Jim Ferguson, “New York, New York”, in Gay Community News, volume 5, number 24, page 6:
- (countable, uncountable) Sleep mode.
- (countable, uncountable) Waiting at the airport in the hope of getting a seat on a flight that is already booked out.
-
(countable, uncountable) Something that is standard, well-tested, or frequently used.
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.
2022 August 29, Julia Moskin, “It’s Not Just You — Blank Street Coffee Is Suddenly Inescapable”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 01 Feb 2023: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.
2022 March 2, Erin Woo, Kevin Roose, “This Social Club Runs On Crypto Tokens and Vibes”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 22 Mar 2023:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| stand-by | alternative | lexicographic | |
| standbys | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Synonyms
Translations (33)
ro standby (state of readiness without immediate involvement) · ro stare standby (state of readiness without immediate involvement) · pl standard (something that is standard, well-tested, or frequently used) · fi valmiustila (state of readiness without immediate involvement) · ru состоя́ние гото́вности (state of readiness without immediate involvement) · mi tūtatari (state of readiness without immediate involvement) · ru гото́вность (state of readiness without immediate involvement) · bg гото́вност (state of readiness without immediate involvement) · fi hätävara (something that is standard, well-tested, or frequently used) · hu harckészültség (state of readiness without immediate involvement) · da beredskab (state of readiness without immediate involvement) · ca mode d'espera (sleep mode of an electrical device) · el εφεδρικός (something that is standard, well-tested, or frequently used) · pl stan wstrzymania (sleep mode of an electrical device) · pl stan gotowości (state of readiness without immediate involvement) · el αναμονή (state of readiness without immediate involvement) · bg гото́вност (sleep mode of an electrical device) · de verlässliche und bewährte Sache (something that is standard, well-tested, or frequently used) · fi valmius (state of readiness without immediate involvement) · hu készenlét (state of readiness without immediate involvement) · fr veille (sleep mode of an electrical device) · ru ожидание (waiting at the airport in the hope of getting a seat on a flight that is already booked out) · pl pewniak (something that is standard, well-tested, or frequently used) · hu készültség (state of readiness without immediate involvement) · hu készenlét (sleep mode of an electrical device) · pl klasyk (something that is standard, well-tested, or frequently used) · pl standby (waiting at the airport in the hope of getting a seat on a flight that is already booked out) · ro așteptare (state of readiness without immediate involvement) · de Bereitschaft (state of readiness without immediate involvement) · hu készenléti üzemmód (sleep mode of an electrical device) · hu (jól) bevált (something that is standard, well-tested, or frequently used) · ca sense reserva (waiting at the airport in the hope of getting a seat on a flight that is already booked out) · pl uśpienie (sleep mode of an electrical device)