Many confess to being short (4)
I believe the answer is:
mown
'being short' is the definition.
Both the answer and definition are adjectives. Maybe you can see a link between them that I don't see?
'many confess' is the wordplay.
'many' becomes 'm' (**).
'confess' becomes 'own' (I've seen this before).
'm'+'own'='MOWN'
'to' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for mown that I've seen before include "(Of grass) cut" , "Cut down with a blade" , "Block of cast metal" .)