Crossword Genius

Giving affection, having a close relationship (4,2,5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

hand-in-glove

'having a close relationship' is the definition.
(hand-in-glove means working together)

'giving affection' is the wordplay.
'giving' becomes 'handing' ('hand' can be a synonym of 'give').
'affection' becomes 'love' (I've seen this before).
'handing'+'love'='HAND-IN-GLOVE'

(Other definitions for hand-in-glove that I've seen before include "Closely associated (in nefarious activity)" , "In cahoots" , "Complicit" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.