What does the cryptic crossword clue "Restraint on beloved, heard to be a beast (8)" mean?

The definition is "beast". The wordplay uses a homophone (sounds like). REIN (restraint) + DEER (sounds like – heard – ‘dear’ – beloved The answer is REINDEER.

Restraint on beloved, heard to be a beast (8)

Guardian Cryptic #29078 | 2 Down | 2023-05-24 flower

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