The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 plus 3 letter word DEATH BED
D
E
A
T
H
B
E
D
Buddy explains!
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 DEATH BED mean?
DEATH BED noun- The bed on which someone dies.
- The last hours before death.