Write line about universal poverty (6)
I believe the answer is:
penury
'poverty' is the definition.
(I know that penury is a type of poverty)
'write line about universal' is the wordplay.
'write' becomes 'pen' (synonyms).
'line' becomes 'ry' (abbreviation for railway).
'about' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'universal' becomes 'u'.
'ry' put after 'u' is 'ury'.
'pen'+'ury'='PENURY'
(Other definitions for penury that I've seen before include "State of poverty or destitution" , "Destitution, need" , "Indigence, destitution" , "privation" , "Extreme destitution" .)