The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word ELLIPSE
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
E
L
L
I
P
S
E
More clues leading to the result ELLIPSE
- Pill, see, could be this shape
- Oval: English run out with second of deliveries on the up
- One that may curl in otherwise regular shape
- Some tablets, another and then another to get back into shape
- Fall over in middle of breezy Oval
- A shape across the channel she hides in plain sight at first
- Figure‘s shape spilled over somewhat
- Shape of projecting piece different on the outside
- Recurrent energy flow behind Earth’s oval shape
- Figure with ease, to restrict leakage from the other side
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "shape" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case shape = ellipse.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 ELLIPSE mean?
ELLIPSE noun- A closed curve, the locus of a point such that the sum of the distances from that point to two other fixed points (called the foci of the ellipse) is constant; equivalently, the conic section that is the intersection of a cone with a plane that does not intersect the base of the cone.
- (grammar) To remove from a phrase a word which is grammatically needed, but which is clearly understood without having to be stated.