Crossword Genius

Polish off beef, maybe, without starter (3)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

eat

'polish off' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)

'beef maybe without starter' is the wordplay.
'beef maybe' becomes 'meat' (beef is a type of meat).
'without starter' means to remove the first letter.
'meat' with its first letter taken off is 'EAT'.

(Other definitions for eat that I've seen before include "Scoff" , "Ingest" , "Be corrosive" , "put away" , "Bite, chew and swallow" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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