Snakes like empty pots (4)
I believe the answer is:
asps
'snakes' is the definition.
(asp is a kind of snake)
'like empty pots' is the wordplay.
'like' becomes 'as'.
'empty' means to remove the middle letters.
'pots' with its middle removed is 'ps'.
'as'+'ps'='ASPS'
(Other definitions for asps that I've seen before include "Poisonous creepers" , "Pass (anag)" , "Poisonous snakes" , "native Africans?" , "because of their venom?" .)