The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 plus 3 plus 4 letter word STRAPPED FOR CASH
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
S
T
R
A
P
P
E
D
F
O
R
C
A
S
H
More clues leading to the result STRAPPED FOR CASH
- Poor being made to pay for strikes?
- Needing bread with ingredients taken up, a chef drops bananas
- Short dominatrix may have done this
- Poor dominatrix might have done this?
- Bust flogged to get funds
- Broke and beaten, professionally
- Hard up masochist may have been this
- Bust confined, short crack in girdle
- Short hit, most of strength kept in reserve
- Factors, perhaps abroad, restricting daughter much in need of money
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Short/dominatrix may have done this" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case short/dominatrix may have done this = strapped for cash.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.