The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word SATURNINE
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
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More clues leading to the result SATURNINE
- Function hosting a performance offering little amusement
- With sound outside, one overcome by fright in dark
- Desolate nature’s in evolution
- Gloomy, beset by raging sea, surrender
- Miserable function a performer gate-crashes
- It’s disturbing – unrest in a grave
- Chiefly sad or solemn in nature perhaps?
- Vase held by sculpted saint seen on top of Elgar’s grave
- Placed vase in Earl’s grave
- Placed vase containing ashes in Eastern grave
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "grave" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case grave = saturnine.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 SATURNINE mean?
SATURNINE adjective- Of a person: having a tendency to be cold, bitter, gloomy, sarcastic, and slow to change and react.
- Of a setting: depressing, dull, gloomy.
- Of, pertaining to, or containing lead (which was symbolically associated with the planet Saturn by alchemists).
- Of a disease: caused by lead poisoning (saturnism); of a person: affected by lead poisoning.
- Pertaining to the astrological influence of the planet Saturn; having the characteristics of a person under such influence (see sense 1).