Cryptic crossword clue
Ex-foreign secretary wears small girdle for washing 9

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word SHOWERING

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "washing" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case washing = showering.
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 SHOWERING mean?

SHOWERING verb
  1. (followed by with) To spray with (a specified liquid).
  2. To bathe using a shower.
  3. To bestow liberally, to give or distribute in abundance
  4. To rain in a shower; to cascade down.
SHOWERING noun
  1. Something that falls in a shower.

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