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Raise one's game and put the boot in (4,2)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

beat up

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

'raise one's game and put the boot in' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this defines the answer.

'raise one's game and put' is the wordplay.
'raise' says the letters should be written in reverse.
'one' becomes 'a'.
'game' becomes 'eb' (I can't explain this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'and' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'a'+'eb'='aeb'
'aeb' after 'put' is 'putaeb'.
'putaeb' reversed gives 'BEAT-UP'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for beat up that I've seen before include "mug" , "Assault violently and injure" , "Assault violently, thrash" , "Slang for assault violently, belabour" , "Assault violently, batter" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.
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