A machine on hire, perhaps, or inherited (8)
I believe the answer is:
heirloom
'or inherited' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this definition defines the answer.
'a machine on hire perhaps' is the wordplay.
'a machine' becomes 'loom' (loom is a kind of machine**).
'on' says to put letters next to each other.
'perhaps' indicates anagramming the letters.
'hire' with letters rearranged gives 'heir'.
'loom' after 'heir' is 'HEIRLOOM'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for heirloom that I've seen before include "something passed on" , "Valuable object handed down" , "Object passed down through a family for generations" , "Piece handed down in the family" , "Something that has been in a family for generations" .)