See Also: stand oil(dictionary)
hat stand(dictionary)
Stand up to(money)
stand(dictionary)
stand-up(dictionary)
stand-off(dictionary)
Stand up to(finance)
stand(2)(dictionary)
stand-in(dictionary)
stand(1)(dictionary)

stand-by (iou)



stand-by noun & adjective. Also standby. L18.
[from stand by s.v. STAND verb.]
A. noun. Pl. stand-bys.
a. Nautical. A ship etc. held in reserve or in a state of readiness. rare. L18.
b. Orig. Nautical. The state of being immediately available to come on duty if required; readiness for duty. Freq. in on stand-by below. M20.
A person ready to give assistance to another; a staunch adherent or partisan. E19.
A thing on which one can rely; a main support; a chief resource. M19.
ellipt.
a. A stand-by credit, loan, etc. (sense B.1d below). M20.
b. A stand-by passenger; a stand-by fare or ticket (sense B.4 below). M20.
An operational mode of an electrical appliance in which the power is switched on but the appliance is not actually functioning; spec. a mode in which the appliance is capable of receiving and acting on a signal from another device (as a radio, telephone, remote control, etc.). Also, on a mobile phone: the amount of time available for use in this mode when the battery is fully charged. L20.
Phrases: on stand-by (a) immediately available or ready for duty; (b) (of an air traveller) in possession of a stand-by seat, waiting for a stand-by ticket.
b. attrib. or as adjective.
a. Nautical. Of a ship etc.: held in reserve, in a state of readiness. L19.
b. Immediately available to come on duty if required; ready for duty. L19.
c. Of machinery, equipment, etc.: for use in an emergency; held in reserve, spec. in the case of failure of a primary device or supply. E20.
d. Designating or pertaining to an economic or financial measure prepared for implementation in specified circumstances. M20.
Of a charge for electricity: remaining constant, fixed; levied for the availability of an electrical supply in a given period, irrespective of the amount used. E20.
Designating or pertaining to a state, position, or condition of readiness. E20.
b. Designating or relating to the operational mode of stand-by on an electrical appliance. M20.
Designating or pertaining to a system of air travel whereby seats are not booked in advance but allocated on the basis of earliest availability; (of a passenger) using or hoping to use this system; (of a fare, ticket, etc.) paid, bought, etc., under this system. M20.