stand by

British  

verb

1. (intr, adverb) to be available and ready to act if needed or called upon

2. (intr, adverb) to be present as an onlooker or without taking any action

   he stood by at the accident

3. (intr, preposition) to be faithful to

   to stand by one's principles

4. (tr, adverb) English law (of the Crown) to challenge (a juror) without needing to show cause

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noun

1. 1. a person or thing that is ready for use or can be relied on in an emergency

   2. ( as modifier )

      stand-by provisions

2. in a state of readiness for action or use

adjective

1. (of an airline passenger, fare, or seat) not booked in advance but awaiting or subject to availability

stand by Idioms  

1. Be ready or available to act, as in I'm almost ready for you to carve the turkey, so please stand by . [Mid-1200s]

2. Wait for something to resume, as in We are all standing by until the power is restored . Also see on standby .

3. Be present but remain uninvolved, refrain from acting, as in I can't stand by and see these kids shoplifting . [Late 1300s]

4. Remain loyal, as in She's my friend and I'll stand by her, no matter what . [Early 1500s] Also see stick by .

5. Adhere to, abide by, as in I'm going to stand by what I said yesterday . [Late 1300s]

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Example Sentences

I asked the council member whether she was willing to stand by MacArthur Park under her watch as she campaigns for four more years.

From Los Angeles Times

Owen went down the steps first and stood by the exit as the tourists came out.

From Literature

Europeans have for years argued that while they didn’t spend as much on arms as the U.S., they consistently stood by it and defended Western interests.

From The Wall Street Journal

“America is at our strongest when we honor our alliances and stand by our allies,” said Rep. Jason Crow, a Colorado Democrat co-sponsoring the House measure.

From Los Angeles Times

Ceredigion council said it stood by the "professional judgement of its staff in applying UK food hygiene standards" and would not be commenting further.

From BBC

Related Words

• back
• benefit
• bolster
• boost
• cooperate
• encourage
• further
• maintain
• promote
• push
• save
• serve
• stimulate
• support