Given a medal for act, or involvement in act (9)
I believe the answer is:
decorated
'given a medal' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both to do with contact as well as being past participle verbs.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'act or involvement in act' is the wordplay.
'involvement' indicates anagramming the letters.
'in' indicates putting letters inside.
'act' becomes 'deed' (deed is a kind of act).
'act'+'or'='actor'
'actor' is an anagram of 'corat'.
'corat' placed within 'deed' is 'DECORATED'.
'for' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for decorated that I've seen before include "Painted" , "Adorned, bedecked" , "like a warrior?" , "Embellished" , "Gothic style following 6 8" .)