Cryptic crossword clue
Reinforcing lock held by awfully big nut 11

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 11 letter word BUTTRESSING

I've seen this crossword clue in The Sunday Telegraph
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Reinforcing" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case reinforcing = buttressing.
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 BUTTRESSING mean?

BUTTRESSING verb
  1. To support something physically with, or as if with, a prop or buttress.
  2. (by extension) To support something or someone by supplying evidence; to corroborate or substantiate.

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