Crossword Genius

Slight case of reserve in front of enthusiast (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

rebuff

'slight' is the definition.
('rebuff' can be a synonym of 'slight')

'case of reserve in front of enthusiast' is the wordplay.
'case of' means to remove the middle letters (outsides of).
'in front of' says to put letters next to each other.
'enthusiast' becomes 'buff' (I've seen this before).
'reserve' with its centre taken out is 're'.
're'+'buff'='REBUFF'

(Other definitions for rebuff that I've seen before include "Unexpected and blunt refusal" , "Turn off" , "Drive back" , "Reject in an ungrateful manner" , "Snub or contemptuous refusal" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.