stand·by

[stand-bahy] noun, plural stand·bys, adjective
noun
1.
a staunch supporter or adherent; one who can be relied upon.
2.
something upon which one can rely and therefore choose or use regularly.
3.
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.
4.
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
5.
kept readily available for use in an emergency, shortage, or the like: a standby player.
6.
of or pertaining to last-minute accommodations, the transport that offers them, or a traveler who is waiting for them: a standby flight.
7.
of or pertaining to a waiting period. Also, stand by.
00:10
Standby is always a great word to know.
So is gobo. Does it mean:
the offspring of a zebra and a donkey.
a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare.
8.
on standby, in a state of readiness to act, respond, or be used immediately when needed.

Origin:
1790–1800; noun, adj. use of verb phrase stand by

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To standby
WordNet
standby

adjective
1. ready for emergency use; "a standby generator"; "a standby crew" 

noun
1. something that can be relied on when needed 
2. an actor able to replace a regular performer when required [syn: understudy
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
For them, energy is a precious commodity and eyes are energy-guzzling
  appliances, even when they're set to standby at night.
Standby on a different day for a fee, plus fare difference.
Flying standby can be a much more economical way to travel by plane, but it can
  also be frustrating.
Also him being a multiple donor lists due to having a jet on standby is kinda
  distasteful.
Related Words
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT