To take part in an unusual start is alluring (8)
I believe the answer is:
attracts
'is alluring' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this defines the answer.
'to take part in an unusual start' is the wordplay.
'to' becomes 'act' (I can't justify this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'take part in' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'an unusual' is an anagram indicator.
'start' is an anagram of 'attrs'.
'act' going within 'attrs' is 'ATTRACTS'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for attracts that I've seen before include "Appeals to or draws towards" , "Draws attention to" , "Exerts a force, draws" , "Has a magnetic effect" , "Draws towards as magnet does iron" .)