Standby Meaning
/ˈstændˌbaɪ̯/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA state of readiness without immediate involvement; remaining in preparation for (a sudden or unforeseen event or situation).
nounA replacement kept on standby.
Sentence Examples
Just my old standby: lemon chicken.
National rescue teams are on standby ready to fly to Japan.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The hospital always keeps an emergency generator on ____ in case the main power fails.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The emergency generator will be on ____ in case there is a power failure during the delicate operation.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree English stand bydeverb. English standby Deverbal from stand by.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"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 26, T. S. Lascelles, “Diamond Jubilee of the Waterloo & City Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 523:
"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:
"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:
"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:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The hospital always keeps an emergency generator on ____ in case the main power fails.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The emergency generator will be on ____ in case there is a power failure during the delicate operation.