Cryptic crossword clue
Pale little man declined 5

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word WANED

I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
W
A
N
E
D

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "declined" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case declined = waned.
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 WANED mean?

WANED verb
  1. To progressively lose its splendor, value, ardor, power, intensity etc.; to decline.
  2. Said of light that dims or diminishes in strength.
  3. Said of the Moon as it passes through the phases of its monthly cycle where its surface is less and less visible.
  4. Said of a time period that comes to an end.
  5. To decrease physically in size, amount, numbers or surface.
  6. To cause to decrease.
WANED adjective
  1. Having wanes, i.e. rounded corners caused by lack of wood, often showing bark.

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