Don penning article on elements (7)
I believe the answer is:
weather
'elements' is the definition.
(synonyms)
'don penning article' is the wordplay.
'don' becomes 'wear' (synonyms).
'penning' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'article' becomes 'the' (the definite article).
'wear' enclosing 'the' is 'WEATHER'.
'on' is the link.
(Other definitions for weather that I've seen before include "Local atmospheric conditions" , "Climate" , "Withstand" , "Survive (ordeal); be worn away naturally" , "State of the atmosphere" .)