The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word BORAX
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
B
O
R
A
X
More clues leading to the result BORAX
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The cryptic/wordplay part
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What does BORAX mean?
BORAX noun- A white or gray/grey crystalline salt, with a slight alkaline taste, used as a flux, in soldering metals, making enamels, fixing colors/colours on porcelain, and as a soap, etc.
- The sodium salt of boric acid, Na2B4O7, either anhydrous or with 5 or 10 molecules of water of crystallisation; sodium tetraborate.
- (sometimes attributive) Cheap or tawdry furniture or other works of industrial design.