Ran through gardens in Home Counties visibly embarrassed (8)
I believe the answer is:
skewered
'ran' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both to do with contact as well as being past participle verbs.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'gardens in home counties visibly embarrassed' is the wordplay.
'gardens' becomes 'Kew' (Kew Gardens in London).
'in' indicates putting letters inside.
'home counties' becomes 'SE' (Home Counties in the South East of England).
'visibly embarrassed' becomes 'red' (someone may blush or go red when embarrassed).
'kew' put inside 'se' is 'skewe'.
'skewe'+'red'='SKEWERED'
'through' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for skewered that I've seen before include "Pierced through with meat pin" , "Red's week (anag)" , "Spiked" , "got ready for barbecue?" , "Transfixed" .)