Crossword Genius

Lives with the French; no one can walk away from here (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

isle

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'no one can walk away from here' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I cannot see how they can define each other.

'lives with the french' is the wordplay.
'lives' becomes 'is' ('be' can be a synonym of 'live').
'with' says to put letters next to each other.
'the french' becomes 'le' ('the' in French).
'is'+'le'='ISLE'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for isle that I've seen before include "Wight or Man, say" , "cut-off location" , "Eg, eyot or inch" , "Isolated land" , "Sea-girt land" .)

I've seen this clue in The Everyman puzzle in The Observer.
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