Posh sons, sleeping around, were cruel (6)

I believe the answer is:

abused

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'were cruel' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this definition defines the answer.

'posh sons sleeping around' is the wordplay.
'posh' becomes 'u' (abbreviation for upper-class - opposite to non-U).
'sons' becomes 's'.
'sleeping' becomes 'abed' (I've seen this before).
'around' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'u'+'s'='us'
'us' placed inside 'abed' is 'ABUSED'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for abused that I've seen before include "Treated cruelly; insulted" , "Reviled, called nasty names" , "Showered insults on, berated" , "Uttered insults, attacked in words" , "Insulted; violated" .)

I've seen this clue in The Sun.

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