Dignified base of monument - damage just around that (8)
I believe the answer is:
matronly
'dignified base of monument' is the definition.
The answer and definition are different parts of speech. However, adjectives and past participle verbs occasionally define each other.
'damage just around that' is the wordplay.
'damage' becomes 'mar' (to mar is to spoil or damage).
'just' becomes 'only' (synonyms).
'around' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'that' becomes 't' (this could be a standard abbreviation of which I'm unaware).
'mar'+'only'='maronly'
'maronly' placed around 't' is 'MATRONLY'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for matronly that I've seen before include "staid and podgy?" , "Like or suitable for staid married woman" , "like mum!" , "Like a dignified or staid woman" , "staid and plumpish" .)