Revered former editor pinching a large journalist's bottom (7)
I believe the answer is:
exalted
'revered' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are adjectives. Perhaps you can see an association between them that I don't see?
'former editor pinching a large journalist's bottom' is the wordplay.
'former' becomes 'ex'.
'editor' becomes 'ed'.
'pinching' means one lot of letters goes inside another (taking inside).
'a large' becomes 'al' (I've seen this in other clues).
'bottom' says to take the final letters.
The last letter of 'journalist' is 't'.
'ex'+'ed'='exed'
'al'+'t'='alt'
'exed' enclosing 'alt' is 'EXALTED'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for exalted that I've seen before include "Raised high, glorified" , "Praised; ennobled" , "Lifted in praise" , "Lifted high" , "Rasied high, glorified" .)