Essential interests raised in public often... (4)
I believe the answer is:
foci
'essential interests' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both human attributes as well as being plural nouns.
Perhaps you can see a link between them that I can't see?
'raised in public often' is the wordplay.
'raised' is a reversal indicator (going up in a down clue).
'in' indicates a hidden word.
'icof' can be found hidden inside 'public often'.
'icof' written backwards gives 'FOCI'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for foci that I've seen before include "fixed points" , "Central points (of the greatest activity)" , "targets" , "Points for attention" , "Centres" .)