Fellow joining club to exercise in water (5)
I believe the answer is:
bathe
'exercise in water' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both acts as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'fellow joining club' is the wordplay.
'fellow' becomes 'he' ('he' refers to a man).
'joining' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'club' becomes 'bat' (as in sporting equipment).
'he' put after 'bat' is 'BATHE'.
'to' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for bathe that I've seen before include "Wash in water" , "Wash by immersion" , "Wash, soak" , "Swim in sea" , "Immerse oneself in water" .)