Cryptic crossword clue
The hoi polloi? Very unpleasant, too smooth 4,3,4

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 4 plus 3 plus 4 letter word RANK AND FILE

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
R
A
N
K
A
N
D
F
I
L
E

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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 RANK AND FILE mean?

RANK AND FILE noun
  1. Enlisted soldiers in a military organization, as would be arrayed in a grid pattern with ranks and files.
  2. Members of an organization who are not in leadership positions.
RANK AND FILE adjective
  1. Belonging or pertaining to the rank and file

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