Time attempt to capture rook (4)
I believe the answer is:
bird
'time' is the definition.
(both are slang for a prison sentence)
'attempt to capture rook' is the wordplay.
'attempt' becomes 'bid' (bid is a kind of attempt).
'to capture' indicates putting letters inside.
'rook' becomes 'R' (chess abbreviation).
'bid' enclosing 'r' is 'BIRD'.
(Other definitions for bird that I've seen before include "A prison sentence (slang)" , "Prison time (slang)" , "Fowl" , "Dawn chorus etc - book by Sebastian Faulks" , "Prison sentence - hawk, perhaps" .)