Crossword Genius

Retract weapons after English make amends (3,4,5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

eat ones words

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'retract' is the definition.
I know nothing about this answer so I can't judge whether this works.

'weapons after english make amends' is the wordplay.
'weapons' becomes 'swords' (sword is a kind of weapon).
'after' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'english' becomes 'E' (abbreviation as in OED).
'make amends' becomes 'atone' (to atone is to make amends for a wrong deed).
'e'+'atone'='eatone'
'swords' put after 'eatone' is 'EAT ONES WORDS'.

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(Other definitions for eat ones words that I've seen before include "Retract what one has said" , "Take back earlier pronouncement" , "Humbly take back something said" , "Recant - retract" , "Retract a statement" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times and The Sunday Times.
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