What does the cryptic crossword clue "Dirty sort of business a Republican goes after (5)" mean?

The definition is "Dirty". The wordplay uses a charade (building blocks). SME (synonym="small and medium-sized enterprises") + A (synonym="directly from surface") + R (synonym="Republican") = SMEAR; definition: "“Dirty” as a verb" The answer is SMEAR.

Dirty sort of business a Republican goes after (5)

Guardian Cryptic #29376 | 10 Across | 2024-05-07 flower

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