A foreign socialist, reportedly still on the shelf? (6)
I believe the answer is:
unread
'still on the shelf?' is the definition.
Both the answer and definition are adjectives. Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'a foreign socialist reportedly' is the wordplay.
'a foreign' becomes 'un' ('a' translated into French).
'socialist' becomes 'red' (red can informally mean a socialist).
'reportedly' shows a homophone (sound like).
'red' is a homophone of 'read'.
'un'+'read'='UNREAD'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for unread that I've seen before include "not taken in" , "Still to be perused" , "Yet to be studied" , "(Of book) not used" .)