STAND

by n. 1 supporter, defender, backer, upholder, partisan, sympathizer, adherent, stalwart His mother had always been his stand-by against the severity of his father 2 substitute, surrogate, replacement, backup, understudy, second, US and Canadian alternate They had a second ambulance as a stand-by in case the first broke down or needed servicing 3 resource, support, replacement I knew I could always count on you as a stand-by in case I had trouble