Some approached in pain (4)
I believe the answer is:
ache
'pain' is the definition.
(ache is a kind of pain)
'some approached in' is the wordplay.
'some' says the answer is hidden in the clue (some of the parts of the word are used).
'ACHE' is hidden in the letters of 'approached in'.
(Other definitions for ache that I've seen before include "burn" , "Shakespearean character" , "Cause pain" , "painful" , "Hurt; yearn" .)