Come very close to a qualification (4)
I believe the answer is:
abut
'come' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are verbs in their base form, I cannot understand how they can define each other.
'close to a qualification' is the wordplay.
'close to' says to put letters next to each other.
'qualification' becomes 'but' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'a' put next to 'but' is 'ABUT'.
'very' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for abut that I've seen before include "Adjoin, touch" , "Meet" , "Of building or land, end or lean against" , "Join" , "Touch upon" .)