Definition of "standby" []

• One that can always be relied on, as in an emergency. (noun)
• A favorite or frequent choice. (noun)
• One kept in readiness to serve as a substitute. (noun)
• Kept in reserve for use when needed: a standby generator. (adjective)
• Of, relating to, or waiting for unreserved travel space that is made available by an airline only shortly before departure: standby passengers. (adjective)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• ""If duty pump fails and the standby pump runs, should the term standby still applies?""
• "The light will flash every 5 seconds when it is in what I call standby mode when it is waiting to sense movement."
• "The standard keyless entry, it seems, keeps the car in "standby" mode even with the engine shut off."