Crossword Genius

If not, a fund is diminished and diminished! (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

unless

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'if not' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)

'a fund is diminished and diminished' is the wordplay.
'a fund' becomes 'u' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'is diminished and' becomes 'n' (common abbreviation for 'and'; 'diminished' indicates a short form).
'diminished' becomes 'less' (I've seen this in another clue).
'u'+'n'+'less'='UNLESS'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for unless that I've seen before include "Except, save" , "Though" , "bar" , "Except on the condition that" , "Conjunction meaning except when" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.
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