Crossword Genius

Appease pair, needing sedative, going without it? (10)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

propitiate

'appease' is the definition.
(I know that appease can be written as propitiate)

'pair needing sedative going without it?' is the wordplay.
'pair' becomes 'pr'.
'needing' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'sedative' becomes 'opiate' (I've seen this before).
'going without' is an insertion indicator ('without' can mean 'outside').
'opiate' enclosing 'it' is 'opitiate'.
'pr'+'opitiate'='PROPITIATE'

(Another definition for propitiate that I've seen is " Appease".)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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