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on standby
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
When the big day finally arrived in early June, more than 60 firefighters showed up with multiple fire engines, at least one bulldozer and a firefighting helicopter on standby in case anything went wrong.
It instructed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, most recently a former Fox News weekend host, to order active duty military on standby as well.
“We have an attorney on standby right now,” he said.
It had expected to run out of cash completely by mid-April before it secured a rescue loan and the government has been on standby to put Thames into special administration.
Even Vatican firefighters are involved; on standby in case of malfunction.
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