Drip is getting worse and it brings dismay (8)
I believe the answer is:
dispirit
'dismay' is the definition.
('dispirit' can be a synonym of 'dismay')
'drip is getting worse and it' is the wordplay.
'getting' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'worse' is an anagram indicator (I've seen this in other clues).
'and' says to put letters next to each other.
'drip'+'is'='dripis'
'dripis' is an anagram of 'dispir'.
'dispir'+'it'='DISPIRIT'
'brings' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for dispirit that I've seen before include "Cause to feel low or depressed" , "Cause to be downhearted" , "Weigh" , "Deject, dishearten" , "Discourage" .)