End of classical work cut (3)
I believe the answer is:
lop
'cut' is the definition.
(lopping is a kind of cutting)
'end of classical work' is the wordplay.
'end of' suggests the final letters.
'work' becomes 'op' (abbreviation for opus).
The final letter of 'classical' is 'l'.
'l'+'op'='LOP'
(Other definitions for lop that I've seen before include "Prune, cut the top off" , "Cut away branches or twigs" , "Hack" , "Cut off, tree branches say" , "Cut (e.g. branch off)" .)