The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word CATCHMENT
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
C
A
T
C
H
M
E
N
T
More clues leading to the result CATCHMENT
- Water collection taking weight off security guards in court
- Happen to see fellows over time in particular area
- Security guards out west in court area around school
- Water collection difficulty: pieces start to tear
- Hear people talk initially in drainage basin
- Collection at church – male put in a small amount of money
- Local area match scrapped with little money around
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Water collection" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case water collection = catchment.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 CATCHMENT mean?
CATCHMENT noun- Any structure or land feature which catches and holds water; the collection of such water.
- A catchment area, or the people it serves.
- To divide into catchment areas.