The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word LAMINATE
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
L
A
M
I
N
A
T
E
More clues leading to the result LAMINATE
- In protective coat, regularly beat beast up
- Hard-skinned alien creature seen from below
- Beast from the east — and there without her to provide cover
- Cover with sheet metal in a moulding
- Bond film being sent up
- The French bird tied oddly in sheets?
- Brute standing on turtle’s shell split into layers
- I’m back in woolly coat with plastic
- Make sheets of metal in a cast
- Cover, in a way, antimale novel
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "provide cover" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case provide cover = laminate.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 LAMINATE mean?
LAMINATE noun- Material formed of thin sheets glued together.
- To assemble from thin sheets glued together.
- To cover something flat, usually paper, in adhesive protective plastic.
- To form, as metal, into a thin plate, as by rolling.
- To cause to separate into thin plates or layers; to divide into thin plates.
- Consisting of, or covered with, laminae, or thin plates, scales, or layers, one over another; laminated.