Said one didn't need to carry a gun (7)
I believe the answer is:
negated
'said one didn't' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both to do with communicating as well as being past participle verbs.
Perhaps there's an association between them I don't understand?
'need to carry a gun' is the wordplay.
'to carry' is an insertion indicator.
'a gun' becomes 'gat' (gat is a kind of gun).
'need' going around 'gat' is 'NEGATED'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for negated that I've seen before include "Denied" , "Cancelled or destroyed the effect of something" , "Made ineffective" , "Abrogated" , "Contradicted" .)