Token leaders from the east half-heartedly advance (4,2)
I believe the answer is:
step up
'advance' is the definition.
(thesaurus)
I cannot understand how the rest of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for step up that I've seen before include "Approach" , "Raise by stages" , "- Bezukhov (War and Peace)" , "Increase as with pace - or ascend stair?" , "Advancement (on a ladder or career)" .)