The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 3 letter word NEF
N
E
F
More clues leading to the result NEF
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Stand for cutlery etc" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case stand for cutlery etc = nef.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 NEF mean?
NEF noun- An extravagant table ornament and container used in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, made in the shape of a ship.
- Of a line bundle on a complete algebraic variety over a field: such that the degree of its restriction to every algebraic curve in the variety is non-negative.