Fierce character, lecturer, suppressing university activity (6)
I believe the answer is:
dragon
'fierce character' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'lecturer suppressing university activity' is the wordplay.
'lecturer' becomes 'don' (don can mean an academic).
'suppressing' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'university activity' becomes 'rag' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should believe this answer much more).
'don' going around 'rag' is 'DRAGON'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for dragon that I've seen before include "battleaxe" , "chased by addicts" , "Reptilian monster" , "St George is said to have killed one" , "Monster - type of fly" .)