Crossword Genius

A beast in distress lowers (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

abates

'lowers' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'a beast in distress' is the wordplay.
'in distress' is an anagram indicator.
'beast' anagrammed gives 'bates'.
'a'+'bates'='ABATES'

(Other definitions for abates that I've seen before include "has a fall" , "Grows less intense" , "moderates" , "Becomes less strong like storm" , "Slacks off" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian, The Telegraph and The Irish News.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.