Help one cover obstacle (8)
I believe the answer is:
handicap
This might be a double definition.
'help one cover' is the first definition.
The definition and answer can be both human attributes as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe you can see a link between them that I don't see?
'obstacle' is the second definition.
(thesaurus)
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for handicap that I've seen before include "hamper" , "golfer's measure of skill" , "Grand National for example" , "liability" , "Circumstance that makes success difficult" .)