Fruit consumed by many (4)
I believe the answer is:
date
'fruit' is the definition.
(date is a kind of fruit)
'consumed by many' is the wordplay.
'consumed' becomes 'ate' (to eat is to consume food).
'by' says to put letters next to each other.
'many' becomes 'd' ().
'ate' after 'd' is 'DATE'.
(Other definitions for date that I've seen before include "Particular time when event happened" , "Small fruit or social appointment" , "Romantic appointment" , "Court" , "Particular time of event - fruit" .)