Attacker carried up a hill (9)
I believe the answer is:
detractor
'attacker' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps there's a link between them I don't understand?
'carried up a hill' is the wordplay.
'carried' becomes 'carted' (carting is a kind of carrying).
'up' is a reversal indicator (in down clue: letters go upwards).
'a hill' becomes 'tor' (tor is a kind of hill).
'carted' back-to-front is 'detrac'.
'detrac'+'tor'='DETRACTOR'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for detractor that I've seen before include "one responsible for mud flying around" , "One disparages or belittles" , "one runs people down" , "One belittling" , "Slighter" .)