Crossword Genius

Keep it near novel (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

retain

'keep' is the definition.
(I know that retain is a kind of keep)

'it near novel' is the wordplay.
'novel' indicates an anagram (letters in a new or novel order).
'it'+'near'='itnear'
'itnear' anagrammed gives 'RETAIN'.

(Other definitions for retain that I've seen before include "Keep; remember" , "Hold on to or employ counsel" , "Hold onto" , "Keep, hold on to something" , "Hold in position" .)

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