The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 plus 4 letter word SHORT TERM
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
S
H
O
R
T
T
E
R
M
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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 SHORT TERM mean?
SHORT TERM adjective- Of or pertaining to the near or immediate future.
- Of or pertaining to a short duration of time