Cryptic crossword clue
Prisoner punching bloke gets some lashes 8

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word FLAGELLA

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
F
L
A
G
E
L
L
A

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "some lashes" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case some lashes = flagella.
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 FLAGELLA mean?

FLAGELLA noun
  1. In protists, a long, whiplike membrane-enclosed organelle used for locomotion or feeding.
  2. In bacteria, a long, whiplike proteinaceous appendage, used for locomotion.
  3. A whip

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