A literate composition to fight back (9)
I believe the answer is:
retaliate
'fight back' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'a literate composition' is the wordplay.
'composition' is an anagram indicator (letters arranged or composed in a different order).
'a'+'literate'='aliterate'
'aliterate' with letters rearranged gives 'RETALIATE'.
'to' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for retaliate that I've seen before include "settle accounts" , "Repay injury with similar one" , "Return like for like" , "Take revenge for a perceived wrong" , "reply" .)