Proceeds to give the answers (7)
I believe the answer is:
returns
'answers' is the definition.
(returning is a kind of answering)
'proceeds to give' is the wordplay.
'proceeds' becomes 'return' (synonyms).
'to give' becomes 's' (I can't justify this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'return'+'s'='RETURNS'
'the' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for returns that I've seen before include "Throws made by cricketers" , "Tickets possibly available" , "Brings or comes back" , "profit" , "proceeds" .)