"Deadlock" is hackneyed, pal (9)
I believe the answer is:
stalemate
'deadlock' is the definition.
(I know that deadlock can be written as stalemate)
'hackneyed pal' is the wordplay.
'hackneyed' becomes 'stale' (I've seen this before).
'pal' becomes 'mate' (both can mean a friend).
'stale'+'mate'='STALEMATE'
'is' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for stalemate that I've seen before include "Deadlock, impasse" , "Inglorious deadlock" , "Blocked position" , "Possible outcome of chess game" , "where moving is impossible" .)