I search fringes of net (4)

I believe the answer is:

mesh

'net' is the definition.
(I know that net can be written as mesh)

'i search fringes of' is the wordplay.
'i' becomes 'me'.
'fringes of' means to remove the middle letters.
'search' with its middle removed is 'sh'.
'me'+'sh'='MESH'

(Other definitions for mesh that I've seen before include "Become entangled - become engaged" , "Lattice" , "harmonise" , "Undeviating" , "Engage; net" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

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