Complimented little chap drinking coffee (9)
I believe the answer is:
flattered
'complimented little' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both to do with communicating as well as being past participle verbs.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'chap drinking coffee' is the wordplay.
'chap' becomes 'fred' ().
'drinking' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'coffee' becomes 'latte' (I've seen this in other clues).
'fred' placed around 'latte' is 'FLATTERED'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for flattered that I've seen before include "Praised excessively" , "Praised insincerely" , "Soft-soaped" , "Praise somewhat dishonestly" , "Blandished" .)