Pitiful character - promise falling short, taking money (4)
I believe the answer is:
worm
'pitiful character' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps you can see a link between them that I don't see?
'promise falling short taking money' is the wordplay.
'promise' becomes 'word' (as in 'I give you my word').
'falling short' means to remove the last letter.
'taking' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'money' becomes 'm' (abbreviation used in economics).
'word' with its last letter taken away is 'wor'.
'wor'+'m'='WORM'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for worm that I've seen before include "Pink, slimy subterranean wriggler" , "Slither" , "Slimy invertebrate with a long thin body" , "Wriggle" , "Wriggly creature" .)