Free French articles next to tree (7)
I believe the answer is:
unleash
'free' is the definition.
(to unleash is to free or release)
'french articles next to tree' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite understand how this works, but
'tree' could be 'ash' (ash is a kind of tree) and 'ash' is found in the answer.
This explanation may well be incorrect...
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for unleash that I've seen before include "Set free from restraint, say a dog" , "Free from restraint like dog" , "Shun ale to free from restraint" , "Let free" , "Free from control" .)