The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word BARGEPOLE
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
B
A
R
G
E
P
O
L
E
More clues leading to the result BARGEPOLE
- Say upset amongst pub staff is a means of moving forward
- Good to acquire, operable refurbished propeller
- Be physically aggressive towards European guide on canal journey?
- European nudist drinking gallons — one to push the boat out?
- Catch up with East European to get boat propeller
- Punter‘s run off — appropriate when turned over
- Wouldn’t let it touch – so shove off with it!
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "means of moving forward" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case means of moving forward = bargepole.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 BARGEPOLE mean?
BARGEPOLE noun- A type of quant pole used to propel a barge through the water