Lack of upkeep dries out brace (9)
I believe the answer is:
disrepair
'lack of upkeep' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both states of affairs as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'dries out brace' is the wordplay.
'out' indicates an anagram (out can mean wrong or inaccurate).
'brace' becomes 'pair' (a brace is a pair of something).
'dries' anagrammed gives 'disre'.
'disre'+'pair'='DISREPAIR'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for disrepair that I've seen before include "Poor working order" , "Decay" , "Neglected condition" , "broken-down state" , "In need of mending" .)