Can sit next to a barrel of rainwater, they say (4)
I believe the answer is:
abut
'they say' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are verbs in their base form, I cannot understand how one could define the other.
'can sit next to a barrel of rainwater' is the wordplay.
I cannot really understand how this works, but
'a' is within the answer.
'barrel' could be 'b' (industrial abbreviation) and 'b' is located in the answer.
The remaining letters 'ut' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't see.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for abut that I've seen before include "End or lean against, say a building" , "Neighbour" , "Adjoin, touch" , "Adjoin, press up against" , "Impinge" .)