Catch flipping associate? Not quite (6)
I believe the answer is:
entrap
'catch' is the definition.
(to entrap is to catch with a trap)
'flipping associate? not quite' is the wordplay.
I cannot really see how this works, but
'not' could be 'nt' (synonyms) and 'nt' is located in the answer.
This explanation may well be incorrect...
(Other definitions for entrap that I've seen before include "Capture" , "Deceive -- lead on" , "Lure into danger" , "Take" , "Catch like parent" .)