Big scare, masking face after the initial transmission starts (7)
I believe the answer is:
titanic
'big' is the definition.
(similar in meaning)
I cannot understand how the remainder of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for titanic that I've seen before include "Famously sunken ship" , "Sinker" , "Ship that sank in 1912" , "Ship sunk by iceberg" , "Famous doomed transatlantic liner" .)