The way to make an article stick out (4)
I believe the answer is:
road
'the way' is the definition.
(road is a kind of way)
'an article stick out' is the wordplay.
'an article' becomes 'a' (English indefinite article).
'stick' becomes 'rod' (both can mean a pole).
'out' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'a' placed inside 'rod' is 'ROAD'.
'to make' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for road that I've seen before include "Thoroughfare" , "Parting guests used to take 'one for the --'" , "'The . . . . to hell is paved with good intentions'" , "motorway?" , "Route travelled by sea" .)