The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word PRESIDE
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
P
R
E
S
I
D
E
More clues leading to the result PRESIDE
- Progressive at first, stay moderate
- A sin to confine neighbours at table and take the chair
- Are settled on power, to be in authority
- Officiate live, following pressure
- Sit after prince offers chair
- Be chairperson, in the days before spin?
- Be in charge, initially performing live
- Act as chairman, but show partiality in advance?
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "take the chair" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case take the chair = preside.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 PRESIDE mean?
PRESIDE verb- To act as president or chairperson.
- To exercise authority or control, oversit.
- To be a featured solo performer.