ready to be used if needed.

I always have a backup tape drive on standby, just in case.

The UN asked various countries to keep some military forces on standby for possible peace-keeping duty.

• make a production of something
• make a production out of
• make a production out of something
• make a quick buck
• make a rod for own back
• make a rod for your own back
• make a run at
• make a run at something
• make a run for it
• make a scene
• make a song and dance about
• make a song and dance about doing something
• make a song and dance about something
• make a spectacle of
• make a spectacle of yourself
• make a splash
• make a stab at
• make a stab at doing something
• make a stab at something
• make a stand
• make at home
• make a virtue of necessity
• make a weekend of it
• make a world of difference
• make believe