Guarded against the usual dire disorder (7)
I believe the answer is:
parried
'guarded' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both related to competing as well as being past participle verbs.
Perhaps there's a link between them I don't understand?
'against the usual dire disorder' is the wordplay.
'against' says to put letters next to each other.
'the usual' becomes 'par' (I've seen this in another clue).
'disorder' is an anagram indicator (a disordered version of the letters).
'dire' is an anagram of 'ried'.
'par' put next to 'ried' is 'PARRIED'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for parried that I've seen before include "Warded off (a blow)" , "Warded off, blocked a thrust" .)