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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Related Words

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