Partly engineering a machine to remove cotton seeds (3)
I believe the answer is:
gin
'remove cotton seeds' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I cannot understand how one could define the other.
'partly engineering a machine' is the wordplay.
'partly' indicates the answer is hidden within the clue (part of the clue is used).
'GIN' is hidden in the letters of 'engineering machine'.
'to' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for gin that I've seen before include "Liquor flavoured with juniper berries" , "Trap for snaring small mammals" , "Spirit; trap" , "Alcohol made with juniper berries" , "game of cards" .)