Cryptic crossword clue
Perform poorly in revue? Can hide away 12

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 12 letter word UNDERACHIEVE

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
U
N
D
E
R
A
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E

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Perform poorly" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case perform poorly = underachieve.
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 UNDERACHIEVE mean?

UNDERACHIEVE verb
  1. To achieve less than expected; to fail to fulfil one's potential.

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