Crossword Genius

Instruction to secretary: ____ mea verba; to a poet ____ (compone) versus (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

scribe

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'instruction' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I cannot see how they can define each other.

I can't explain the remainder of the clue.

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(Other definitions for scribe that I've seen before include "7 down teacher of the Jewish Law" , "Clerk, a public copyist" , "Writer of other days" , "A writer of old" , "Scholar of Jewish law" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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