Crossword Genius

Cut service charge added to end of bill (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

lacerate

'cut' is the definition.
(thesaurus)

'service charge added to end of bill' is the wordplay.
'service' becomes 'ace' (ace is a kind of service).
'charge' becomes 'rate' (rate is a kind of charge**).
'added to' says to put letters next to each other.
'end of' indicates one should take the final letters.
The final letter of 'bill' is 'l'.
'ace'+'rate'='acerate'
'acerate' put after 'l' is 'LACERATE'.

(Other definitions for lacerate that I've seen before include "Tear or gash roughly" , "Tear roughly, cut jaggedly" , "Clear tea (anag.)" , "Cut, leaving jagged edges" , "Cut or tear irregularly" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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