Crossword Genius

Being aggressively smashed in Hull? (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

torpedoed

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'smashed in hull?' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are past participle verbs, I don't understand how they can define each other.

'being aggressively' is the wordplay.
I cannot really see how this works, but
'being' could be 'torpedo' (torpedo is a kind of being) and 'torpedo' is located in the answer.
The remaining letters 'ed' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't understand.
This explanation may well be incorrect...

Can you help me to learn more?

(Another definition for torpedoed that I've seen is " ruined".)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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