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Besmirched a dull poet perhaps (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

polluted

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'besmirched' is the definition.
Both the answer and definition are adjectives. Maybe there's a link between them I don't understand?

'a dull poet perhaps' is the wordplay.
'perhaps' indicates an anagram.
'dull'+'poet'='dullpoet'
'dullpoet' with letters rearranged gives 'POLLUTED'.

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(Other definitions for polluted that I've seen before include "Defiled" , "infected" , "Made dirty in duel plot" , "Made dirty or impure, water or air" , "Made dirty or impure (8)" .)

I've seen this clue in The Globe and Mail.
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