standby

Etymology

From the verb phrase stand by.

noun

1. A state of readiness without immediate involvement; remaining in preparation for (a sudden or unforeseen event or situation).
   The troops were on standby in case of an attack.
2. (electronics) sleep mode
3. (travel) Waiting at the airport in the hope of getting a seat on a flight that is already booked out.
4. Something that is standard, well-tested, or frequently used.
   That recipe is an old standby, and she keeps the ingredients around in case of unexpected guests.
   The restaurant, Hop Louie, was a Chinatown standby for decades before closing in 2016. 2022-03-02, Erin Woo, Kevin Roose, “This Social Club Runs On Crypto Tokens and Vibes”, in The New York Times, →ISSN
   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. 2022-08-29, Julia Moskin, “It’s Not Just You — Blank Street Coffee Is Suddenly Inescapable”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

verb

1. (proscribed, nonstandard, operations) To wait briefly, as for additional communication by radio or telephone; alternative spelling of stand by
   Standby while I check that for you.
   For quotations using this term, see Citations:standby.