Bob’s starting to operate in apartments (6)
I believe the answer is:
floats
'bob's starting to operate in apartments' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this definition defines the answer.
'starting to operate in apartments' is the wordplay.
'starting to' indicates taking the first letters.
'in' is an insertion indicator.
'apartments' becomes 'flats' ('flat' can be a synonym of 'apartment').
The initial letter of 'operate' is 'o'.
'o' inserted inside 'flats' is 'FLOATS'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for floats that I've seen before include "Stays on the surface of liquid" , "Carnival wagons" , "Hovers" , "Rests or drifts on the surface" , "Stays on the surface of water" .)