Desperate redhead pass around (4)
I believe the answer is:
dire
'desperate' is the definition.
(I know that desperate can be written as dire)
'redhead pass around' is the wordplay.
'redhead' becomes 'r' (head letter of 'red').
'pass' becomes 'die' (as in passing away).
'around' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'r' going inside 'die' is 'DIRE'.
(Other definitions for dire that I've seen before include "Terrible display" , "Disastrous" , "'Dreadful, awful (4)'" , "Fearful" , "Nearly hopeless" .)