The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word DESCENT
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
D
E
S
C
E
N
T
More clues leading to the result DESCENT
- Regularly avoided edge on trail going downhill
- Son admitted to proper nationality
- Sound of object coming down
- Drop of French perfume
- Decline scented make-up
- Decline to remove odour?
- Journey down is fair with hint of sun breaking in
- Leader of society in moral decline
- Head of state taken in by respectable pedigree
- Son will be taken in by respectable lineage
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "going downhill" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case going downhill = descent.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 DESCENT mean?
DESCENT noun- An instance of descending; act of coming down.
- A way down.
- A sloping passage or incline.
- Lineage or hereditary derivation.
- A drop to a lower status or condition; decline.
- A falling upon or invasion.
- A particular extension of the idea of gluing. See Descent (mathematics).