The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word STINT
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
S
T
I
N
T
More clues leading to the result STINT
- Migrant with spare brass appearing in street
- Bird’s set task
- Shift cycling shades
- Spell isn’t broken on time
- Economize just in time? Several outsiders lost
- Shift inside just in time to tighten belts
- Term time infestation going around
- Spare shift?
- Term’s somewhat lost in translation
- Spell seabird‘s singular shade
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Shift/Shift/tighten belts /tighten belts" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case shift/shift/tighten belts /tighten belts = stint.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 STINT mean?
STINT noun- A period of time spent doing or being something; a spell.
- Limit; bound; restraint; extent.
- Quantity or task assigned; proportion allotted.
- To stop (an action); cease, desist.
- To stop speaking or talking (of a subject).
- To be sparing or mean.
- To restrain within certain limits; to bound; to restrict to a scant allowance.
- To assign a certain task to (a person), upon the performance of which he/she is excused from further labour for that day or period; to stent.
- (of mares) To impregnate successfully; to get with foal.
- Any of several very small wading birds in the genus Calidris. Types of sandpiper, such as the dunlin or the sanderling.