Embarrass with a hefty blow (5)

I believe the answer is:

abash

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'embarrass' is the definition.
(synonyms)

'with a hefty blow' is the wordplay.
'with' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'hefty blow' becomes 'bash' (bash is a kind of blow. I am not sure about the 'hefty' bit.).
'a' put next to 'bash' is 'ABASH'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for abash that I've seen before include "Discomfit" , "Embarrass" , "Humiliate" , "Cause someone to feel embarrassed" , "Cause embarrassment" .)

I've seen this clue in The Irish Independent.

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