Criticise church taking instrument back in fit of pique (9)
I believe the answer is:
petulance
'fit of pique' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both feelings as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'criticise church taking instrument back' is the wordplay.
'criticise' becomes 'pan' (informal term meaning to criticise heavily).
'church' becomes 'CE' (Church of England).
'taking' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'instrument' becomes 'lute' (lute is a kind of instrument).
'back' shows that the letters should be reversed in order.
'lute' backwards is 'etul'.
'pan'+'ce'='pance'
'pance' placed around 'etul' is 'PETULANCE'.
'in' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for petulance that I've seen before include "ill humour" , "Show of temper" , "Peevish irritation" , "Sulky bad behaviour" , "Childish sulkiness" .)