Slaughters ogres messily (5)
I believe the answer is:
gores
'slaughters' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both acts as well as being plural nouns.
Perhaps you can see an association between them that I can't see?
'ogres messily' is the wordplay.
'messily' indicates an anagram.
'ogres' is an anagram of 'GORES'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for gores that I've seen before include "Pierces with horn like bull" , "Impales in beastly fashion" .)