Make a rapid descent -- or abandoning fight! (4-4)
I believe the answer is:
free-fall
'make a rapid descent' is the definition.
(eg freefalling from a plane)
'or abandoning fight' is the wordplay.
'abandoning' indicates named letters should be taken away.
'fight' becomes 'free-for-all ' (a free for all is a fight or brawl).
'freeforall' with 'or' taken out is 'FREE-FALL'.
I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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