The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word GRASSED
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
G
R
A
S
S
E
D
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "brought down" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case brought down = grassed.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 GRASSED mean?
GRASSED verb- To lay out on the grass; to knock down (an opponent etc.).
- To act as a grass or informer, to betray; to report on (criminals etc) to the authorities.
- To cover with grass or with turf.
- To feed with grass.
- To expose, as flax, on the grass for bleaching, etc.
- To bring to the grass or ground; to land.
- Grassy; covered with grass