Lake in former estate (4)

I believe the answer is:

mere

'lake' is the definition.
(mere is a kind of lake)

'in former estate' is the wordplay.
'in' says the answer is hidden in the clue.
'MERE' is hidden in the letters of 'former estate'.

(Other definitions for mere that I've seen before include "of no significance" , "Small area of standing water" , "Paltry" , "Pond - pure and simple" , "Lake (and nothing else?)" .)

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