Despite appearances, it doesn't mean 'from' (4)
I believe the answer is:
unto
'despite appearances' is the definition.
I know nothing about this answer so I cannot tell whether this works.
'it doesn't mean from' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite understand how this works, but
'it' could be 't' (abbreviation. e.g. in 'tis) and 't' is present in the answer.
'from' could be 'o' (I've seen this in other clues) and 'o' is located in the answer.
The remaining letters 'un' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't understand.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for unto that I've seen before include "'Do ... others, etc.'" , "Biblical preposition, the archaic 'to'" , "To (obs.)" , "Heading for" , "Archaic form of to" .)