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Rant beginning to end? Say it's true! (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

aver

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'true' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are verbs in their base form, I don't see how one could define the other.

'rant beginning to end? say' is the wordplay.
'beginning' indicates taking the first letters.
'to' says to put letters next to each other (I've seen this in other clues).
'end? say' becomes 'ave' (I can't explain this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
The first letter of 'rant' is 'r'.
'r' put after 'ave' is 'AVER'.

'it's' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for aver that I've seen before include "Declare or insist" , "State; say" , "Formally assert" , "State firmly and positively" , "Declare to be the case" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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