Crossword Genius

Infatuation as fellow gathers everyone round female (4,4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

calf love

'infatuation' is the definition.
(synonyms)

'fellow gathers everyone round female' is the wordplay.
'fellow' becomes 'cove' (British slang term).
'gathers' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'everyone' becomes 'all' (all people).
'round' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'female' becomes 'f' (abbreviation).
'all' enclosing 'f' is 'alfl'.
'cove' going around 'alfl' is 'CALF-LOVE'.

'as' acts as a link.

(Other definitions for calf love that I've seen before include "youthful passion" , "Immature amorous attachment" , "Adolescent infatuation" , "thing youngster may go through" , "Youthful affection" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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