Crossword Genius

Hearing this, we hear a hanky's required! (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

atishoo

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'hanky's required' is the definition.
I don't know anything about this answer so I cannot tell whether it can be defined by this definition.

'hearing this we hear a' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite see how this works, but
an anagram of 'this' is 'tish' which is within the answer.
'a' is within the answer.
The remaining letters 'oo' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't see.
This may be the basis of clue (or it may be nonsense).

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for atishoo that I've seen before include "Sound of a sneeze" , "Sound of explosion" , "Word to be sneezed at" , "Sound made on expiration" , "Sneezing sound" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
Want a hint initially instead of a full solution? Install my app