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Given to them temporarily prior to Easter (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

lent

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'easter' is the definition.
(thesaurus)

I can't explain the remainder of the clue.

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(Other definitions for lent that I've seen before include "Christian period of abstinence" , "Fast time" , "Christian penitential period" , "Forty days of penance" , "Gave the use of for a time" .)

I've seen this clue in The Irish Times.
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