Crossword Genius

Join with one reservation (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

abut

'join' is the definition.
(abut can mean to join or be adjacent to)

'with one reservation' is the wordplay.
'with' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'one' becomes 'a' (a thing is one thing).
'reservation' becomes 'but' (a 'but' is a reservation or objection to something).
'a' next to 'but' is 'ABUT'.

(Other definitions for abut that I've seen before include "Be next to -- share a boundary" , "Adjoin, be contiguous to" , "Lie adjacent to" , "Touch (side of next building)" , "Lie next to" .)

I've seen this clue in The Globe and Mail.
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