The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word DEPLETE
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
D
E
P
L
E
T
E
More clues leading to the result DEPLETE
- Reduce with diet pill oddly taken every Tuesday evening to begin with
- Reduce pressure and scrub round
- Former obstruction in deep swirling drain
- Drain power during strike
- Run through key prelude’s opening parts
- Run down steep hill, bathe hot feet in river
- Key rings quietly diminish in number
- Empty department left over summer in Paris
- Pail expert emptied in river or drain
- Empty entirely to remove outside pressure
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Drain" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case drain = deplete.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 DEPLETE mean?
DEPLETE verb- To empty or unload, as the vessels of the human system, by bloodletting or by medicine.
- To reduce by destroying or consuming the vital powers of; to exhaust, as a country of its strength or resources, a treasury of money, etc.