Given the push? (7)
I believe the answer is:
prodded
'given' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both to do with contact as well as being past participle verbs.
Perhaps you can see a link between them that I can't see?
'push?' is the wordplay.
I cannot really understand how this works, but
'push?' could be 'prod' (prodding is a kind of pushing) and 'prod' is located in the answer.
This explanation may well be incorrect...
'the' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Another definition for prodded that I've seen is " Poked or urged".)