Mother takes a long time to get compensation (7)
I believe the answer is:
damages
'compensation' is the definition.
(damages is a kind of compensation)
'mother takes a long time' is the wordplay.
'mother' becomes 'dam' (female parent of an animal).
'takes' says to put letters next to each other.
'a long time' becomes 'ages' (ages can mean a very long time).
'dam'+'ages'='DAMAGES'
'to get' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for damages that I've seen before include "Harms" , "weakens" , "Money awarded as compensation" , "Money paid in compensation for loss or injury" , "Hurts" .)