Crossword Genius

Females dim as can be? (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

maids

'females' is the definition.
(maid is a kind of female)

'dim as can be?' is the wordplay.
'can be?' indicates anagramming the letters (I've seen 'can be' mean this).
'dim'+'as'='dimas'
'dimas' is an anagram of 'MAIDS'.

(Other definitions for maids that I've seen before include "Getting women in service" , "Female domestic servants" , "Female domestics" , "girls!" , "Lasses" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.
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