Manage to check everything with one inspiring figure (8)
I believe the answer is:
calliope
'inspiring figure' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both man-made objects as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps you can see an association between them that I can't see?
'manage to check everything with one' is the wordplay.
'manage' becomes 'cope' (manage can mean to cope or do well).
'to check' means one lot of letters goes inside another (check can mean to restrain or block in).
'everything' becomes 'all' (all things).
'with' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'one' becomes 'i' (Roman numeral).
'all'+'i'='alli'
'cope' enclosing 'alli' is 'CALLIOPE'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for calliope that I've seen before include "inspiration for poets" , "source of inspiration?" , "something powered by steam" , "Greek Muse of eloquence and epic poetry, or a kind of organ" , "One of the Muses" .)