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Kept short socks, initially coloured (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

stinted

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'kept' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both to do with ownership as well as being past participle verbs.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?

'socks initially coloured' is the wordplay.
'socks initially' becomes 's' (I can't explain this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'coloured' becomes 'tinted' (similar in meaning).
's'+'tinted'='STINTED'

'short' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Another definition for stinted that I've seen is " Was ungenerous (in supply)".)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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