Crossword Genius

Manly scourge lashes reverend individual (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

laddish

'manly' is the definition.
(laddish can mean manly or macho)

'scourge lashes reverend individual' is the wordplay.
'scourge' becomes 'lash' (both can mean a whip).
'lashes' indicates putting letters inside.
'reverend' becomes 'DD' (Doctor of Divinity).
'individual' becomes 'i' (Roman numeral for one).
'dd'+'i'='ddi'
'lash' enclosing 'ddi' is 'LADDISH'.

(Other definitions for laddish that I've seen before include "Youthfully boisterous" , "Boisterously macho" , "Given to immature and aggressive behaviour" , "displaying blokey tendencies" , "How like a boy" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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