Good man bowed and stiffened (8)
I believe the answer is:
starched
'stiffened' is the definition.
(starching is a kind of stiffening)
'good man bowed' is the wordplay.
'good man' becomes 'st' (abbreviation for saint).
'bowed' becomes 'arched' (synonyms).
'st'+'arched'='STARCHED'
'and' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for starched that I've seen before include "Made rigid" , "(Of cloth) stiffened" , "Stiffened with a carbohydrate" , "(Of fabrics) stiffened" , "The cards (anag.)" .)