The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word LOINCLOTH
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
L
O
I
N
C
L
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T
H
More clues leading to the result LOINCLOTH
- Colin strangely reluctant to put this on?
- Scant cover left over in hospital to hide lump
- Hippy gear?
- Colin’s upset and reluctant to be seen in skimpy dress
- With pound coin, reluctant to get minimal cover?
- Treat once penniless child — no fortune involved but it will cover the essentials
- Look inside church, securing good deal for organ cover
- Joint corps reluctant to provide cover for privates
- See freedom fighter's unwilling to cover
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Scant cover" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case scant cover = loincloth.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 LOINCLOTH mean?
LOINCLOTH noun- A garment that covers the loins (crotch).