Crossword Genius

Not charged in public punch-up: that's not for all (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

free

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'not charged in public' is the definition.
'free' can be an answer for 'public' (thesaurus). I'm not certain of the 'not charged in' bit.

I don't understand the remainder of the clue.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for free that I've seen before include "Not busy" , "Release - without charge" , "Complimentary" , "Release; gratis" , "Pro bono" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.