Prepares to eat apple initially, backing out of it (6)
I believe the answer is:
asleep
'out of it' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
I cannot understand how the rest of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for asleep that I've seen before include "In the Land of Nod" , "In the arms fo Morpheus" , "Dormant; inattentive" , "Having forty winks" , "Conked out" .)