Defend cheater getting cheated (7)
I believe the answer is:
condone
'defend' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both to do with communicating as well as being verbs in their base form.
Maybe there's a link between them I don't understand?
'cheater getting cheated' is the wordplay.
'cheater getting' becomes 'con' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should believe this answer much more).
'cheated' becomes 'done'.
'con'+'done'='CONDONE'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for condone that I've seen before include "Accept or forgive (bad behaviour)" , "Approve, sanction" , "'Excuse, overlook (7)'" , "Overlook intentionally" , "Turn a blind eye" .)