Criticise cold starters of raw adzuki beans (4)
I believe the answer is:
crab
'criticise' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are verbs in their base form, I can't understand how one could define the other.
'cold starters of raw adzuki beans' is the wordplay.
'cold' becomes 'c' (eg on taps).
'starters of' suggests taking the first letters.
The initial letters of 'raw adzuki beans' is 'rab'.
'c'+'rab'='CRAB'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for crab that I've seen before include "Pincered crustacean" , "A crustacean; type of apple" , "Shellfish with pincers" , "Clawed shellfish" , "One fired from gun" .)