Offer view, needing essentially too long (5)
I believe the answer is:
opine
'offer view' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are verbs in their base form, I can't understand how one could define the other.
'essentially too long' is the wordplay.
'essentially' says to take the centre.
'long' becomes 'pine' (to pine for someone is to long for them).
The middle of 'too' is 'o'.
'o'+'pine'='OPINE'
'needing' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for opine that I've seen before include "Give opinion" , "Say what one thinks" , "judge" , "Express one's opinion openly" , "Express or hold view" .)