Standby

Noun

 * 1) State of readiness without being immediately involved.
 * ''The troops were on standby in case of an attack.
 * 1)  Waiting at the airport in the hope of getting a seat on a flight that is already booked out.
 * 2) Something that is standard, well-tested, or frequently used.
 * That recipe is an old standby, and she keeps the ingredients around in case of unexpected guests.

Verb

 * 1)  Wait briefly:
 * Standby while I check that for you.

Thesaurus
Maecenas, abettor, admirer, advocate, aficionado, angel, apologist, backer, bit player, buff, champion, defender, dependence, encourager, endorser, exponent, extra, fan, favorer, figurant, figurante, friend at court, lover, mainstay, maintainer, mute, paranymph, partisan, patron, promoter, protagonist, reliance, second, seconder, sectary, sider, spear-carrier, sponsor, stalwart, stand-in, substitute, supe, super, supernumerary, support, supporter, supporting actor, supporting cast, sustainer, sympathizer, understudy, upholder, votary, walk-on, walking gentleman, well-wisher

Alternative forms

 * stand-by

Etymology
From stand: + by:.

Pronunciation
The noun is stressed on stand:; the verb has stress on each part.

Noun

 * Danish: beredskab


 * German: