Crossword Genius

Frightening a fly (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

awing

'frightening' is the definition.
(awing is a kind of frightening)

'a fly' is the wordplay.
'fly' becomes 'wing' ('wing' can be a synonym of 'fly').
'a'+'wing'='AWING'

(Other definitions for awing that I've seen before include "having dreadful effect" , "making an impression" , "inspiring great admiration" , "Inspiring reverence" , "producing reverence" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.