Greenish-brown mist by lake (5)
I believe the answer is:
hazel
'greenish-brown' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this definition defines the answer.
'mist by lake' is the wordplay.
'mist' becomes 'haze' (I've seen this before).
'by' says to put letters next to each other.
'lake' becomes 'l'.
'haze'+'l'='HAZEL'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for hazel that I've seen before include "Catkin-bearing shrub" , "Tree of the birch family" , "Yellow-brown - nut-tree" , "Catkin-bearing tree" , "Tree with catkins" .)