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stand by

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stand by

to wait and remain ready. (Generally heard in communication, such as broadcasting, telephones, etc.) Your transatlantic telephone call is almost ready. Please stand by. Is everyone ready for the telecast? Only ten seconds—stand by.

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stand by someone

to support someone; to continue supporting someone even when things are bad. Don't worry. I'll stand by you no matter what. I feel as though I have to stand by my brother even if he goes to jail.

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stand by someone or something

to stand next to someone or something. Jeff, please stand by Judy. I want to take your picture. Can I stand by the window and watch the birds?

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stand by

1. to let something happen or to be unable to do anything to stop something from happening It was such a terrible fire that the firefighters had to stand by and let the fire burn itself out.

2. to be ready to be used if necessary During the fireworks display, the fire department trucks stood by, in case something went up in flames.

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stand by somebody/something

to support someone or something stick by somebody/something I think people admire the fact that she stands by her husband. At a news conference, he stood by his criticism of the government.

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stand by

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]

See also: stand

stand by

v.

1. To be ready or available to act: Operators are standing by, ready to take your call.

2. To wait for a thing, such as a broadcast, to resume: Our network is experiencing some technical difficulties; please stand by. This train will be standing by until further notice.

3. To remain uninvolved; refrain from acting: The security guard just stood by and let the thief get away.

4. To remain loyal to someone; aid or support someone: She stood by her friend and defended her throughout the scandal.

5. To keep or maintain some principle or position on an issue: I stand by my decision, and I'm willing to defend it.

See also: stand