The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word SMEAR
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
S
M
E
A
R
More clues leading to the result SMEAR
- Coat in two sizes gaining appreciation
- Dirty mark or marks scorch clothes
- Some journalism earnestly shows slander
- Defame male drowned in burn
- Ray’s bottom is starting to get dirty
- Spread false report
- Blur start off Simple Minds’ No.1 on the organ
- MacGregors’ leader plunged into burn for cover
- Medium in dried-up sample on slide
- Black mark that may be examined in the lab
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Spread/false repor" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case spread/false repor = smear.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 SMEAR mean?
SMEAR noun- A mark made by smearing.
- Any of various forms of distortion that make a signal harder to see or hear.
- A Pap smear.
- A false attack.
- A maneuver in which the shoe is placed onto the holdless rock, and the friction from the shoe keeps it in contact
- A rough glissando in jazz music.
- To spread (a substance, especially one that colours or is dirty) across a surface by rubbing.
- To have a substance smeared on (a surface).
- To damage someone's reputation by slandering, misrepresenting, or otherwise making false accusations about an individual, their statements, or their actions.
- To become spread by smearing.
- To climb without using footholds, using the friction from the shoe to stay on the wall.