Crossword Genius

Stay well away from work (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

malinger

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'work' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both to do with social activities as well as being verbs in their base form.
Perhaps you can see a link between them that I don't see?

'stay well away' is the wordplay.
I cannot really see how this works, but
'stay' could be 'linger' (lingering is a kind of staying) and 'linger' is found within the answer.
'away' could be 'a' (abbreviation as used in sports fixtures) and 'a' is found in the answer.
A single letter 'm' remains which might be clued in a way I don't understand.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).

'from' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for malinger that I've seen before include "Slack in germinal fashion" , "Skive by pretending to be ill" , "To shirk work" , "Loaf or procrastinate" , "Avoid work by feigning illness" .)

I've seen this clue in The Globe and Mail and The Guardian.
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