on standby

Idioms

Ready and waiting, as in We've got three more painters on standby. This expression originated in the navy in the 1940s, where it referred to someone being ready to come on duty as soon as required. From about 1960 it began to be widely used in aviation for a passenger waiting to take the first available seat on a full flight.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Ireland's armed forces have been put "on standby" to assist with clearing the blockades, defence minister Helen McEntee has said.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

Gomina in turn called the quick-reaction force, or QRF, an elite unit on standby for emergencies, to order a counterattack.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

That routine was becoming normal, he said, though the engine crew was being kept on standby, ready to "fire up our engines" in case of emergency.

From Barron's • Mar. 12, 2026

A team in Gibraltar remained on standby in case the connection failed, but it held throughout the procedure.

From BBC • Mar. 6, 2026

Six thousand militiamen were put on standby in nearby armories.

From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023