Spaniard rises for cursory greeting (3)
I believe the answer is:
nod
'cursory greeting' is the definition.
(a nod might be a hasty or cursory greeting)
'spaniard rises' is the wordplay.
'spaniard' becomes 'don' (term for a Spanish gentleman).
'rises' says the letters should be written backwards.
'don' written backwards gives 'NOD'.
'for' is the link.
(Other definitions for nod that I've seen before include "Shake head in agreement" , "Fellow that's set up number 500" , "sign of approval" , "Drop the head" , "Drowse" .)