Hi, everybody. Welcome to www.engvid.com. I'm Adam. In today's
video, I'm going to give you a few more phrasal verbs that begin with the verb:
"stand". Now, again, a "phrasal verb" is a combination of a verb and a
preposition. And sometimes the meaning is exactly what the two words mean, but
put together; but a lot of these phrasal verbs also... also have secondary
meanings; meanings that are completely unrelated to the words that are
combined. And it's very difficult to understand these, unless someone tells
you what they are, or unless you look them up in a dictionary. So, let's start
with: "stand up". Now, of course, everybody probably understands: "stand
up" means, like: don't sit or don't lie down. If you're sitting or... or lying
down — you "stand up" on your feet. But "stand up" can also mean to take
responsibility. Right? So, if the... if the... something bad happens in a class,
maybe somebody broke the chair in a classroom, and the teacher says: "Okay,
who did this?" somebody should "stand up" — means somebody should take
responsibility; take the blame. If nobody "stands up", the teacher will get
more upset. Now, we can also use this as a... as a compound: "stand-up" as a...
well, actually two meanings. You can have a "stand-up comic", which is a
comedian who stands on a stage and delivers jokes. But you can also say a
"stand-up person". A "stand-up guy" or a "stand-up girl" is a person who's very
good; very honest, somebody you can trust. We would say: "He's a stand-up
On the other hand, "stand up for" or "stand up to" has a very different
meaning. If you "stand up for" something or someone, it means that you support
that thing or that someone. So, let's say my co-worker is being insulted or
attacked by the boss. And she's very nervous and very sad, and maybe she's
crying and she can't say anything. I will "stand up" for her. I will say to
the boss: "Stop insulting her. Don't say any more. Like, leave her alone", and
stuff like that. I am "standing up for" her because she can't defend herself. I
am defending her because she doesn't have the power to do it. "Stand up to"
is very similar — means... it's face an enemy or face a bad situation. So, if
the boss is telling everybody: "Okay, everybody has to work overtime, but I'm
not paying you more money." Everybody's getting the same salary, but more hours
— I will "stand up to" my boss and say: "No. I'm not going to do it." Right? I
will basically take a firm position, and fight for what's right for myself or for
my co-workers as well. "Stand for" has two meanings. So, one of them I sort of
mentioned already. If you "stand for" something — means you... you believe it
very much. It's a principle. It's something that you believe and something
that you will fight for, if you have to. Somebody that... something that other
people can't change about you. Right? So, I "stand for" integrity, I "stand
for" honesty means I believe these are very important things, and nobody will
change my mind about that. You can also... "stand for" can also mean to
tolerate. If you "won't stand for" something — means you won't tolerate it.
So, for example, let's say in... again, let's go to a business situation because
it's easy. Some people like to say racist jokes at the office, or at
school, or anywhere social. Some people like to say racial jokes; I "don't stand
for" that kind of behavior. I "don't stand for" those kinds of jokes — means
I don't tolerate them. I don't accept them. I will tell somebody to shut up if
they make one of these types of jokes. Okay? So, it's good to "stand for"
"Stand by". So, again, there's the literal meaning means by... Can mean...
can... can mean next to or beside. So, if you "stand by" someone, you're just
standing next to them. In a more, like, an abstract meaning, you can "stand by"
someone. It doesn't mean you're physically standing by them; it means
you're supporting them. So, let's say in politics — you sometimes see this — a
politician gets accused of having an affair, like an extramarital affair.
Like, he cheated on his wife, for example, or she cheated on her husband.
If the spouse doesn't believe the accusations and she... or she trusts her
husband — let's say it's a woman — she will "stand by" him; she will support
him and stay with him through all the scandal, and not leave him. So, she's
very loyal to him. "Stand by" can also mean wait. Okay? So: "Okay. Don't start
the project yet. Let's just stand by until we get more information" or "stand
by to get the boss's permission", or "stand by for" whatever else you need
before you can begin something. So, essentially, it means wait. And in terms
of some jobs, some people are "on standby". Or if you're traveling and you
bought a ticket, but there's no seats — the... the airline may put you "on
standby". It means you wait until an opportunity presents itself. So, in...
in some professions, let's say nursing: Many nurses, when they're just starting
their careers, are put "on standby", which means just be ready and wait. We
may call you to come to the hospital to work; we may not. Another expression is
"on call". It's the same meaning on... like: "standby" or "on call". Wait. We
might call; you we might not. So, that's "standby". "Stand in for", we don't
really have anything "stand in". We have a "stand-in" means a substitute. The
verb: "to stand in for me" is to take someone's place in a situation. So,
let's say in a movie, the actors might have some action scenes that are stunts
that are very dangerous. So, they have a stunt person "stand in" for them in that
situation. So, some actors will not do the dangerous scenes; the stunt person
will "stand in" for them while the camera shoots, and it looks like them.
Like they... like the actor, but it's not them; it's a stunt person. Some...
some actors actually do their own stunts, but that's not common. So,
"stand in for" — again, if I'm a teacher, and I'm sick today; I can't
come to school — someone will "stand in for" me and take over the class until I
"Stand out". So, "stand out" doesn't mean outside. You could stand outside;
that's outside. "Stand out" means be very different; usually in a good way.
Some people can "stand out" in a bad way. But we mostly use this expression
to say: "Oh, wow. He really stands out from the crowd. He's different." And,
again, he's probably a little bit better than most of his... most of his or her
peers, as the case may be. Okay, I'll leave it at that. "Stand out". A
"standout" as a noun, if you make the two... if you squeeze the two words
together, and make it a compound — a "standout" means a very good thing. It's
something that's better than the most. It is noticeable, because it's very
good. And that's only for positive things. To "stand out" can be negative,
but mostly used for positive. Okay, so: "stand around". If you're "standing
around", basically, you're doing nothing. Right? Just "standing around",
you know, doing nothing. So, if somebody says: "Don't just stand around. No. Do
the work. Get involved. You're part of the team", etcetera. "Stand by" can
actually also mean that. "Standing by" means you're doing nothing also, but
more common is just: "standing around". "Stand aside". So, one meaning could be
literal; you just "stand aside" — move to the side. In some situations, you
"stand aside" means you make way for somebody else. So, for example, in...
again, this is very common in business situations. I'm a senior employee. I've
been in this company for 40 years, and there needs a new... there needs to be a
new manager. Now, realistically, it should be my promotion, because I've
been there the longest. But the company doesn't really want me; they want
somebody young who will be with a company a long time. So, they asked me
to "stand aside" — not to interfere in the promotion process; not to complain.
"Stand aside. Let the young guy come up and take over because he will be there
for many years." I will retire in two or three years anyway, so no point. So,
make space for; make room for.
"Stand back" is... is actually very direct, like: "stand back; move away".
So, we especially use this when there's, like, a situation that's a problem or a
dangerous situation. Let's say somebody... somebody... a car hit a
bicyclist and the bicyclist is on the ground. He's injured, and the ambulance
comes. And, of course, there's going to be a big crowd. Everybody wants to see
what's going on; what happened. So, the ambulance, the paramedics — the guys who
work on the ambulance — they say: "Okay. Everybody stand back." Make space so
that they can go in and work, and take care of this bicyclist. But that's
really the only use of this. "Stand off". Now, "stand off" is generally not
used by itself; we would say, like: "stand off to the side", for example —
means be a little bit separated; a little bit different area. So, you
"stand off to the side" means you're in a little bit separated. More commonly,
you might hear "standoff" as a compound noun. So, if there's a "standoff", that
means there's two rivals or two enemies are facing each other, and they're about
ready to start a fight or a battle. So, a "standoff" means rivals, or
competitors. "Stand down". Now, this you will hear very commonly in military
situations. When soldiers are getting ready to fight, they're getting into
their offensive posture; offensive positions, and then the... a senior
officer will say... will come and say: "Stand down". "Stand down" means go
into, like, a normal position; put your guns away; don't get ready to fight. So:
"stand down". "Stand down" can also mean in terms of position. You can "stand
down" means you... it's like similar to "stand aside" — you back off and let
somebody else take it. If you "stand down" from your position, you give it up
and you take a lower position, or you retire or whatever you do. If you "stand
with" someone, you support them. Right? So, you... There was a meme not too long
ago, like: "I stand with her". So, it was for the feminist movement, like the
"MeToo" movement and all that. If you "stand with" someone, you support them;
you are loyal to them. It's similar to: "stand by". "Stand by your man", "stand
with your man", "stand with your friends", "stand with" whatever people
you are supporting. Right? So, that's the expression.
Okay, so that's basically it. I hope everybody understood all these
expressions. If you're not sure, go to www.engvid.com. There's a quiz. You can
test your understanding. You can also ask me questions there in the comment
section. I'll be happy to help you out. And that's it. I hope you like this
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