Crossword Genius

Blunt stick attached to end of rifle (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

bate

'blunt' is the definition.
(thesaurus)

'stick attached to end of rifle' is the wordplay.
'stick' becomes 'bat' (bat is a kind of stick**).
'attached to' says to put letters next to each other.
'end of' indicates one should take the final letters.
The last letter of 'rifle' is 'e'.
'bat'+'e'='BATE'

(Other definitions for bate that I've seen before include "Lessen" , "decrease" , "Rage; beat the wings" , "contention for old poet" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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