Narrowly defeat Dickensian hero (3)
I believe the answer is:
pip
I believe this clue is a double definition.
'narrowly defeat' is the first definition.
(I've seen this before)
'dickensian hero' is the second definition.
(I've seen this before)
(Other definitions for pip that I've seen before include "Palindromic fruit seed" , "Palindromic pear seed" , "'Seed, of an apple say (3)'" , "Dickensian hero" , "Just defeat; apple seed" .)