The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word PURGE
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
P
U
R
G
E
More clues leading to the result PURGE
- Pride's initial spur for his historical act?
- Quiet desire for witch hunt?
- Witch hunt based on lie under oath: say that’s not right
- Clear parking in front of drive
- Scour first of pans with egg on
- Clarify golf fair hosts
- Quietly encourage removal of undesirable elements
- Quietly encourage the removal of undesirables
- Get rid of parking on drive
- Papa’s strong desire to kill
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "removal of undesirable elements" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case removal of undesirable elements = purge.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 PURGE mean?
PURGE noun- An act of purging.
- An evacuation of the bowels or a vomiting.
- A cleansing of pipes.
- A forcible removal of people, for example, from political activity.
- That which purges; especially, a medicine that evacuates the intestines; a cathartic.
- To clean thoroughly; to cleanse; to rid of impurities.
- To free from sin, guilt, or the burden or responsibility of misdeeds
- To remove by cleansing; to wash away.
- To void or evacuate (the bowels or the stomach); to defecate or vomit.
- To cause someone to purge, operate on (somebody) as or with a cathartic or emetic, or in a similar manner.
- To clear of a charge, suspicion, or imputation
- To clarify; to clear the dregs from (liquor).
- To become pure, as by clarification.
- To have or produce frequent evacuations from the intestines, as by means of a cathartic.
- To trim, dress or prune.