Acts playfully but starts fearing hazards (6)
I believe the answer is:
frisks
'acts playfully' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are verbs in their -s form, I don't understand how they can define each other.
'starts fearing hazards' is the wordplay.
'starts' says to take the initial letters.
'hazards' becomes 'risks' ('risk' can be a synonym of 'hazard').
The initial letter of 'fearing' is 'f'.
'f'+'risks'='FRISKS'
'but' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for frisks that I've seen before include "Searches manually as at security check" , "Informally searches as for concealed weapons" , "Searches, for concealed weapons or drugs, say" , "Gambols and searches" , "Runs about happily or searches for concealed weapons" .)