The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 4 letter word SINK
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
S
I
N
K
More clues leading to the result SINK
Buddy explains!

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 SINK mean?
SINK noun- A basin used for holding water for washing.
- A drain for carrying off wastewater.
- A sinkhole.
- A depression in land where water collects, with no visible outlet.
- A heat sink.
- A place that absorbs resources or energy.
- The motion of a sinker pitch.
- An object or callback that captures events; event sink
- A destination vertex in a transportation network
- An abode of degraded persons; a wretched place.
- A depression in a stereotype plate.
- A stage trap-door for shifting scenery.
- An excavation less than a shaft.
- (game development) One or several systems that remove currency from the game's economy, thus controlling or preventing inflation
- (heading, physical) To move or be moved into something.
- (heading, social) To diminish or be diminished.
- To conceal and appropriate.
- To keep out of sight; to suppress; to ignore.
- To pay absolutely.
- To reduce or extinguish by payment.
- To be overwhelmed or depressed; to fail in strength.
- To decrease in volume, as a river; to subside; to become diminished in volume or in apparent height.