Gave a knowing look before being led out (6)
I believe the answer is:
leered
'gave a knowing look' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are past participle verbs, I don't understand how they can define each other.
'before being led out' is the wordplay.
'before' becomes 'ere' (poetic term for 'before').
'being led' becomes 'led'.
'out' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'ere' going into 'led' is 'LEERED'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for leered that I've seen before include "Gazed at lasciviously" , "Looked suggestively" , "Look suggestively" , "Looked lecherously" , "gave a nasty look" .)