Sceptical originally, regularly attempt short distance (4)
I believe the answer is:
step
'short distance' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'sceptical originally regularly attempt' is the wordplay.
'originally' suggests taking the first letters.
'regularly' means one should take alternating letters (regularly take one letter, leave next etc.).
The first letter of 'sceptical' is 's'.
The alternating letters of 'attempt' are 'tep'.
's'+'tep'='STEP'
(Other definitions for step that I've seen before include "Prefix meaning related by remarriage" , "Pace for a pest" , "Single pace" , "Part of a stairway" , "Action of the leg" .)