The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word HARBOUR
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
H
A
R
B
O
U
R
More clues leading to the result HARBOUR
- Time in which uniform's no good for nurse
- Nurse in shady part of garden south of hospital
- Secretly maintain hotel’s leafy area
- Beginnings of avalanche — rush back in time to shelter
- Cups turning up in time for port
- Time to get around bar, sloshing port
- Entertain hot passion, favouring Baron over Duke
- A length of time to hang around rowdy bar in refuge
- Hide port
- In time, revolutionary supporter finds safe haven
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "refuge" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case refuge = harbour.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does HARBOUR mean?
HARBOUR noun- Any place of shelter.
- A sheltered expanse of water, adjacent to land, in which ships may anchor or dock, especially for loading and unloading.
- (glassworking) A mixing box for materials.
- A house of the zodiac, or the mansion of a heavenly body.
- Shelter, refuge.
- To provide a harbor or safe place for.
- To take refuge or shelter in a protected expanse of water.
- To drive (a hunted stag) to covert.
- To hold or persistently entertain in one's thoughts or mind.