Start back east with a donkey, say (5)
I believe the answer is:
beast
'a donkey say' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I don't understand how one could define the other.
'start back east' is the wordplay.
'start' says to take the initial letters.
The first letter of 'back' is 'b'.
'b'+'east'='BEAST'
'with' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for beast that I've seen before include "rotter" , "Animal, creature" , "Bully" , "Brute; creature" , "Pig" .)