standby

 
Pronunciation: /ˈstan(d)bʌɪ/

noun (plural standbys)

[mass noun]
  • 1readiness for duty or immediate deployment: buses were placed on standby for the journey to London
  • [count noun] a person or thing ready to be deployed immediately, especially if needed as backup in an emergency: a generator was kept as a standby in case of power failure [as modifier]: a standby rescue vessel
  • an operational mode of an electrical appliance in which the power is switched on but the appliance is not actually functioning: switch off the TV at night instead of leaving it on standby
  • [as modifier] denoting an economic or financial measure prepared for implementation in specified circumstances: a standby credit facility
  • 2the state of waiting to secure an unreserved place for a journey or performance, allocated on the basis of earliest availability: passengers were obliged to go on standby
  • [count noun] a person waiting to secure an unreserved place for a journey or performance: standbys are allowed to board when all the passengers with confirmed reservations are seated