Knocked down a thug without assistance (4,3)
I believe the answer is:
laid out
'knocked down' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both to do with contact as well as being past participle verbs.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'a thug without assistance' is the wordplay.
'a thug' becomes 'lout'.
'without' is an insertion indicator ('without' can be similar in meaning to 'outside').
'assistance' becomes 'aid' (synonyms).
'lout' placed around 'aid' is 'LAID OUT'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for laid out that I've seen before include "Paid" , "Displayed; knocked senseless" , "prepared for burial" , "arranged" , "Spent" .)