Vagrant starts to head off before others (4)
I believe the answer is:
hobo
'vagrant' is the definition.
(I know that hobo is a type of vagrant)
'starts to head off before others' is the wordplay.
'starts to' says to take the initial letters.
The initial letters of 'head off before others' is 'HOBO'.
(Other definitions for hobo that I've seen before include "Bum" , "Vagrant, tramp" , "Deer, situated at the back" , "Homeless American" , "Vagrant (American)" .)