Crossword Genius

Second sign of hesitation to enter filthy house (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

monastery

'house' is the definition.
(monastery is a kind of house)

'second sign of hesitation to enter filthy' is the wordplay.
'second' becomes 'mo' (both are short periods of time).
'sign of hesitation' becomes 'er'.
'to enter' is an insertion indicator.
'filthy' becomes 'nasty' (synonyms).
'er' placed within 'nasty' is 'nastery'.
'mo'+'nastery'='MONASTERY'

(Other definitions for monastery that I've seen before include "Where brothers gather" , "Religious establishment" , "Religious house" , "One vows to stay here" , "brother's house" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.