Concede maid works best after time (5,6)
I believe the answer is:
admit defeat
'concede' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both related to competing as well as being verbs in their base form.
Maybe you can see an association between them that I don't see?
'maid works best after time' is the wordplay.
'works' indicates anagramming the letters (work can mean to twist or convulse).
'best' becomes 'defeat' (I've seen this before).
'after' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'time' becomes 't' (abbreviation).
'maid' anagrammed gives 'admi'.
'defeat' put after 't' is 'tdefeat'.
'admi'+'tdefeat'='ADMIT DEFEAT'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Another definition for admit defeat that I've seen is " Give in".)