Grip the necks of large rum bottles (8)
I believe the answer is:
strangle
'grip' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both to do with contact as well as being verbs in their base form.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'necks of large rum bottles' is the wordplay.
'necks of large' becomes 'l' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'rum' becomes 'strange' (similar in meaning).
'bottles' indicates putting letters inside (bottle can mean to contain).
'l' put inside 'strange' is 'STRANGLE'.
'the' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for strangle that I've seen before include "cut off supply of air" , "Tanglers who suffocate" , "Asphyxiate, throttle" , "Kill by squeezing the throat" , "Smother" .)