Pretend to check the figure (4)
I believe the answer is:
seem
'pretend' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are verbs in their base form, I don't see how one could define the other.
'check the figure' is the wordplay.
'check' becomes 'see' (synonyms).
'the figure' becomes 'm' (I can't explain this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'see'+'m'='SEEM'
'to' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for seem that I've seen before include "Appear to the eye" , "Appear, look" , "Appear, give impression of being" , "Come across as" .)