Crossword Genius

Gold trees - terribly forbidding (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

austere

'forbidding' is the definition.
('austere' can be a synonym of 'forbidding')

'gold trees terribly' is the wordplay.
'gold' becomes 'au' (Au is the chemical symbol for gold).
'terribly' indicates anagramming the letters.
'trees' anagrammed gives 'stere'.
'au'+'stere'='AUSTERE'

(Other definitions for austere that I've seen before include "Abstemious and grave" , "Severe or strict in attitude" , "Severe in appearance" , "'Spartan, simple (7)'" , "Severe, ascetic" .)

I've seen this clue in The Mirror.
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