The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word OHMMETER
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
O
H
M
M
E
T
E
R
More clues leading to the result OHMMETER
- Mother irritated with me, one showing resistance
- Scientists’ device gets them more irritated
- Measure of resistance encountered in amending Homer
- Device for electricians makes them more nervous
- Mother worried about me — that indicates resistance!
- It measures resistance old headmaster confronted with hesitation
- The memo about resistance is the thing that reveals it
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Scientists’ device" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case scientists’ device = ohmmeter.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 OHMMETER mean?
OHMMETER noun- A portable device for measuring relatively small values of electrical resistance.