Books returned on time by the French post (5,4)
I believe the answer is:
totem pole
'post' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both man-made objects as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'books returned on time by the french' is the wordplay.
'books' becomes 'OT' (abbreviation for Old Testament).
'returned' shows that the letters should be reversed in order.
'on' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'time by' becomes 'tempo' (tempo is a kind of time. I am not sure about the 'by' bit.).
'the french' becomes 'le' ('the' in French).
'ot' back-to-front is 'to'.
'to'+'tempo'+'le'='TOTEM-POLE'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for totem pole that I've seen before include "carved column" , "cult object" , "Symbol revered by native Americans" , "clan emblem" , "Symbolic construction" .)