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Significant time to worry about losing face (3)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

era

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'significant time' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)

'worry about losing face' is the wordplay.
'worry' becomes 'er' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'about' becomes 'ca' (circa).
'losing face' means to remove the first letter.
'ca' with its initial letter taken away is 'a'.
'er'+'a'='ERA'

'to' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for era that I've seen before include "Long period of history" , "8" , "Geological age" , "Age of importance" , "Long historic period" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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