The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word INTENTION
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
I
N
T
E
N
T
I
O
N
More clues leading to the result INTENTION
- End of hip strain announced
- Trendy joint incorporates, oddly, this design
- Goal slammed into net, in at the very start
- Failure to concentrate missing out at end
- Objective and popular speaker’s pulling power
- End a healing process
- Aim to be under shelter, the first thing after upset
- Camping on island on purpose
- Negligence, disregarding a team’s initial purpose
- One new strain, we hear, is the objective
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "end" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case end = intention.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 INTENTION mean?
INTENTION noun- The goal or purpose behind a specific action or set of actions.
- Tension; straining, stretching.
- A stretching or bending of the mind toward an object or a purpose (an intent); closeness of application; fixedness of attention; earnestness.
- The object toward which the thoughts are directed; end; aim.
- Any mental apprehension of an object.
- The process of the healing of a wound.
- Intend