Lack of muscle on view when cold descends (7)
I believe the answer is:
absence
'lack' is the definition.
(I know that absence is a type of lack)
'muscle on view when cold descends' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite understand how this works, but
'muscle' could be 'ab' (short for abdominal muscle) and 'ab' is found within the answer.
'cold' could be 'c' (abbreviation, eg on taps) and 'c' is found in the answer.
The remaining letters 'sene' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't understand.
This explanation may well be incorrect...
'of' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for absence that I've seen before include "form of inattention?" , "Time off" , "Seen cab (anag.)" , "Abstraction" , "Lack - it makes the heart grow fonder" .)