Deal with the trivial gift when stirred with poet (8)
I believe the answer is:
pettifog
'deal with' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both to do with communicating as well as being verbs in their base form.
Perhaps you can see a link between them that I don't see?
I don't understand how the remainder of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for pettifog that I've seen before include "Raise absurd objection" , "Quibble as lawyers" , "trifle" .)