The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word SHEATH
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
S
H
E
A
T
H
More clues leading to the result SHEATH
- Case requires silence about preliminary heat
- Second piece of open country gets protection
- Johnny Morris finally to meet PM in 1971
- Lead in shoplifting case
- Protective cover reduces heat haze to some extent . . . .
- Keep quiet about warm coat
- Outlandish hat he’s shown and dress for dame
- Protection for small area with scrubby vegetation
- Covering where ships finally moor
- Rubber silencer fitted round American gun
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "dress for dame" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case dress for dame = sheath.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 SHEATH mean?
SHEATH noun- A holster for a sword; a scabbard.
- (by extension) Anything that has a similar shape to a scabbard that is used to hold an object that is longer than it is wide.
- The base of a leaf when sheathing or investing a branch or stem, as in grasses.
- The insulating outer cover of an electrical cable.
- One of the elytra of an insect.
- A tight-fitting dress.
- The foreskin of certain animals (for example, dogs and horses).
- A condom.
- To put (something such as a knife or sword) into a sheath.
- To encase (something) with a protective covering.
- Of an animal: to draw back or retract (a body part) into the body, such as claws into a paw.
- To thrust (a sharp object like a sword, a claw, or a tusk) into something.
- To abandon or cease (animosity, etc.)
- To provide (a sword, etc.) with a sheath.
- To relieve the harsh or painful effect of (a drug, a poison, etc.).