Judging a mate touring Paris ground (9)
I believe the answer is:
appraisal
'judging' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both related to thinking as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps you can see a link between them that I don't see?
'a mate touring paris ground' is the wordplay.
'mate' becomes 'pal' (I've seen this in another clue).
'touring' is an insertion indicator (touring can mean going round).
'ground' is an anagram indicator ('grind' the letters into a new form).
'paris' is an anagram of 'prais'.
'pal' going around 'prais' is 'ppraisal'.
'a'+'ppraisal'='APPRAISAL'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for appraisal that I've seen before include "judgment" , "rating" , "Evaluation - papal airs (anag)" , "valuation" , "Evaluation - price survey" .)