Hostile verbal animosity when it’s usually calm? (3-4)
I believe the answer is:
off-peak
'it's usually calm?' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this defines the answer.
'hostile verbal animosity' is the wordplay.
'hostile' becomes 'off' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'verbal' indicates a 'sounds like' (homophone) clue.
'animosity' becomes 'pique' (I've seen this before).
'pique' sounds like 'peak'.
'off'+'peak'='OFF-PEAK'
'when' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for off-peak that I've seen before include "Less busy (time)" , "Not at the time of highest demand" , "Outside the times when demand is greatest" , "Time when tickets are usually cheaper" , "At a time when demand is less" .)