A brief way to encourage a high-priced swimmer (8)
I believe the answer is:
sturgeon
'a high-priced swimmer' is the definition.
'sturgeon' can be an answer for 'swimmer' (type of fish). I am not sure about the 'a high-priced' bit.
'a brief way to encourage' is the wordplay.
'a brief way' becomes 'st' (abbreviation for street; 'brief' indicates an abbreviation).
'to encourage' becomes 'urgeon' (urging on is a kind of encouraging).
'st'+'urgeon'='STURGEON'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for sturgeon that I've seen before include "Fish providing isinglass" , "producer of caviar" , "swimmer" , "Caviare-yielding fish" , "provider of delicacy?" .)