What the fiddler did even before being applauded! (5)
I believe the answer is:
bowed
'applauded' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both to do with communicating as well as being past participle verbs.
Maybe you can see an association between them that I don't see?
I cannot understand how the rest of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for bowed that I've seen before include "Played as, eg, a violin" , "violin played thus?" , "Played like a cello" , "Acknowledged applause" , "Was on the fiddle" .)