Lock up repellent figure smuggling in brew (7)
I believe the answer is:
enchain
'lock' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both to do with contact as well as being verbs in their base form.
Maybe you can see an association between them that I can't see?
'up repellent figure smuggling in brew' is the wordplay.
'up' says the letters should be written in reverse (in down clue: letters go upwards).
'repellent figure' becomes 'nine' (a number of figure. I am not sure about the 'repellent' bit.).
'smuggling in' is an insertion indicator.
'brew' becomes 'cha' (I've seen this in other clues).
'nine' reversed gives 'enin'.
'enin' enclosing 'cha' is 'ENCHAIN'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for enchain that I've seen before include "Immobilise" , "Hold fast" , "Put in fetters" , "Shackle" , "Secure" .)