Association, connection (7)
I believe the answer is:
linkage
<span class="explanation-format__ClueExplanation">I believe this is a double definition.<br/ ><br/ >'<span class="explanation-format__original">association</span>' is the first definition.<br/ ><span class="explanation-format__explanation">(I've seen this in another clue)</span><br/ ><br/ >'<span class="explanation-format__original">connection</span>' is the second definition.<br/ ><span class="explanation-format__explanation">(I know that linkage is a type of connection)</span><br/ ><br/ ></span>
(Other definitions for linkage that I've seen before include "System of connections" , "where the join is" , "Connection, bond" , "Connection, coupling" , "Part of mechanism" .)