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Attracts, yet horrifies, the English within (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

appeals

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'attracts' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are verbs in their -s form, I cannot understand how one could define the other.

'horrifies the english within' is the wordplay.
'horrifies' becomes 'appals' ('appal' can be a synonym of 'horrify').
'the english' becomes 'e' (abbreviation).
'within' is an insertion indicator.
'appals' placed around 'e' is 'APPEALS'.

'yet' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for appeals that I've seen before include "Requests earnestly" , "Makes earnest request" , "Urgent requests" , "Earnest requests" , "Asks" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.
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