Conflict warily started (3)

I believe the answer is:

war

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'conflict' is the definition.
(I know that conflict can be written as War)

I can't explain the rest of the clue.

(Other definitions for war that I've seen before include "Armed hostility" , "State of armed struggle" , "Hostile situation" , "Period of hostilities" , "State of armed conflict" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.

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