Cancel date with closest pal possessed of inflated self-worth (3,3)
I believe the answer is:
beg off
'cancel' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both to do with communicating as well as being verbs in their base form.
Maybe you can see a link between them that I can't see?
I don't understand how the remainder of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for beg off that I've seen before include "Ask for permission to be released" , "Ask permission to withdraw from an undertaking" , "Ask to be excused - really plead" .)