Recedes to the sea (4)
I believe the answer is:
ebbs
'recedes to the sea' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is the entire clue.
(Other definitions for ebbs that I've seen before include "Flows back - declines" , "Declines gradually" , "Wanes" , "Goes out like tide" , "fades away" .)