Crossword Genius

Grazed heathen avoided hospitals (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

eaten

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'avoided hospitals' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both related to consumption as well as being past participle verbs.
Maybe there's an association between them I don't understand?

'grazed heathen' is the wordplay.
I cannot really understand how this works, but
'grazed' could be 'ate' (I've seen this in another clue) and 'ate' is present in the answer.
The remaining letters 'en' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't see.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for eaten that I've seen before include "Consumed" , "dinners should be" , "Swallowed" , "dined" , "Polished off" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.
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