Look askance at the rates (5)
I believe the answer is:
stare
'look' is the definition.
(stare is a kind of look)
'askance at the rates' is the wordplay.
'rates' anagrams to 'STARE'.
But, I'm unsure how this is indicated.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for stare that I've seen before include "bird" , "Gawp" , "Long fixed look" , "Look with fixed gaze" , "Rates (anag.)" .)