Crossword Genius

Hand round cask, with nothing in bottles (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

ovation

'hand' is the definition.
(both can mean applause)

'round cask with nothing in bottles' is the wordplay.
'round' becomes 'o' (round can mean a round object).
'cask' becomes 'vat' (I've seen this in another clue).
'with' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'nothing in bottles' becomes 'ion' (I can't justify this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'o'+'vat'+'ion'='OVATION'

(Other definitions for ovation that I've seen before include "Stormy applause" , "Enthusiastic applause, often standing" , "Long period of applause" , "Round of applause, may be standing" , "Great outburst of applause" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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