Crossword Genius

Tough outlaw left, facing hesitation (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

hoodlum

'tough' is the definition.
(I know that tough can be written as hoodlum)

'outlaw left facing hesitation' is the wordplay.
'outlaw' becomes 'hood' (hood is a kind of outlaw).
'left' becomes 'l' (common abbreviation).
'facing' says to put letters next to each other.
'hesitation' becomes 'um' (um is said in hesitation).
'hood'+'l'+'um'='HOODLUM'

(Other definitions for hoodlum that I've seen before include "Young thug or gangster" , "Small-time criminal" , "One breaks the law" , "Punk" , "Hooligan" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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