Flog patent with deposit of English king (9)
I believe the answer is:
overexert
'flog' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are verbs in their base form, I cannot understand how they can define each other.
'patent with deposit of english king' is the wordplay.
'patent' becomes 'overt' (both can mean obvious).
'with' indicates putting letters inside.
'deposit of english' becomes 'ex' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'king' becomes 'ER' (abbreviation for Edward Rex, various English kings).
'ex'+'er'='exer'
'overt' placed around 'exer' is 'OVEREXERT'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for overexert that I've seen before include "work too hard" , "exercise unduly?" , "strain" , "Make too much effort" , "use too much" .)