The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word RELAPSE
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
R
E
L
A
P
S
E
More clues leading to the result RELAPSE
- Last bit of water to slip away in sink
- Fruit tree I neglected is about to fall back
- Again decline drinks, with smoke briefly put round
- Turning more pasty, starts to sicken experiencing this
- Turning paler, intitially suffer extreme return to bad health
- Run, pass and turn poorly again
- Soldiers having drinks with recreational drug get ill again
- Ornamental tree, one cut back, is to deteriorate
- Fall back on large recess in church
- Start to reduce crush — please, fall back!
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "to deteriorate" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case to deteriorate = relapse.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 RELAPSE mean?
RELAPSE noun- The act or situation of relapsing.
- An occasion when a person becomes ill again after a period of improvement
- One who has relapsed, or fallen back into error; a backslider.
- To fall back again; to slide or turn back into a former state or practice.
- (of a disease) To recur; to worsen, be aggravated (after a period of improvement).
- To slip or slide back physically; to turn back.