stand-ton.
/ˌstan(d)ˈtuː/, U.S. /ˌstæn(d)ˈtu/ Military.
The action of standing ready for an attack (in early use esp. before dawn or after dusk) or of preparing for combat; (also) a period of duty, or the time at which such a period begins. Cf. to stand to 3 at stand v. Phrasal verbs 1, stand-to-arms n., stand down n. 2b.
ΚΠ
1915 Diary 21 Dec. in W. Wood In Line of Battle (1916) xvii. 217 At stand-to, 6 a.m. Much shelling.
1919 G. K. Rose 2/4th Oxf. & Bucks. Lt. Infty. 71 At dawn..came morning stand-to.
1942 R.A.F. Jrnl. 3 Oct. 31 There was that stand-to in the small hours one day.
2010 S. Junger War i. vi. 81 Kearney has ordered stand-to at zero hundred hours..because there's intel the enemy may attack.
Compounds
In general use as a modifier.
ΚΠ
1918 Prescott (Arkansas) Daily News 12 Mar. The American batteries commenced their destructive drum fire, sprinkling the German positions on a line selected for the raid just after the ‘stand to’ signal.
1975 T. Allbeury Special Coll. xi. 78 They made a permanent stand-to situation with just six of their anti-missile missiles.
2006 Toronto Star (Nexis) 10 Mar. a1 If their compound was to come under attack, a ‘stand to’ order would be issued and all troops would then rush to set positions to defend it.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2022).
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n.1915