Member on board gives in, then oddly persists (8)
I believe the answer is:
bowsprit
'member on board' is the definition.
The answer and definition 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?
'gives in then oddly persists' is the wordplay.
'gives in' becomes 'bows' (bowing is a kind of giving in).
'then' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'oddly' means one should take alternating letters.
The alternate letters of 'persists' are 'prit'.
'bows'+'prit'='BOWSPRIT'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for bowsprit that I've seen before include "See component of boat" , "Spar projecting from the front of a sailing vessel" , "Projecting spar at front of sailing ship" , "Spar projecting from front of a boat" .)