Cryptic crossword clue
Trapped lion, initially caught, growled aggressively

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word SNARLED

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
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The straight part
We know that "growled aggressively" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case growled aggressively = snarled.
The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.
This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.

What does SNARLED mean?

SNARLED verb
  1. To entangle; to complicate; to involve in knots.
  2. To become entangled.
  3. To place in an embarrassing situation; to ensnare; to make overly complicated.
  4. To be congested in traffic, or to make traffic congested.
  5. To form raised work upon the outer surface of (thin metal ware) by the repercussion of a snarling iron upon the inner surface.
SNARLED verb
  1. To growl angrily by gnashing or baring the teeth; to gnarl; to utter grumbling sounds.
  2. To complain angrily; to utter growlingly.
  3. To speak crossly; to talk in rude, surly terms.

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