Set off to a get-together outside a UK boarding school (8)
I believe the answer is:
detonate
'set off' is the definition.
(synonyms)
'get-together outside a uk boarding school' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite understand how this works, but
'school' could be 'eton' (famous UK public school) and 'eton' is located in the answer.
'get together' could be 'date' (dating is a kind of getting together) and 'date' is found in the remaining letters.
This accounts for all the letters.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).
'to a' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for detonate that I've seen before include "Discharge" , "let off" , "Blow up, explode" , "Trigger" , "Start 15 [EXPLOSION]" .)