Loops ring into snouts (6)
I believe the answer is:
nooses
'loops' is the definition.
(noosing is a kind of looping)
'ring into snouts' is the wordplay.
'ring' becomes 'o' (letter resembling a ring).
'into' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'snouts' becomes 'noses' (I've seen this before).
'o' inserted into 'noses' is 'NOOSES'.
(Other definitions for nooses that I've seen before include "Rope loops with tightening knots" , "Loops in cowboy ropes" , "Running loops" , "Loops with sliding knots" , "Loops for the hangman" .)