noun
standby
STAND-beye
noun
1
A state of being ready to act at short notice.
"The ambulance crew was on standby all night."
2
Waiting at an airport in hopes of getting a seat on a fully booked flight.
"They flew standby and just barely got seats on the last flight out."
3
A backup person or item kept ready in case of need.
"The understudy was the standby for the lead role."
How to Use Standby
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishReady and waiting in reserve, whether it's a person, a seat, or a piece of equipment.
Common pairings
on standby
standby ticket
standby generator
Word Forms
standbyed past tense, standbys plural, standbys singular
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The ambulance crew was on _____ all night.
Etymology
Formed from the phrasal verb "stand by," turned into a single noun.