Perhaps it's barely taken off (3)
I believe the answer is:
kit
'perhaps it's barely taken off' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this definition defines the answer.
'it's barely taken off' is the wordplay.
'barely' means to look at the middle letters (the word is bare of its external letters).
'off' indicates anagramming the letters.
The middle of 'taken' is 'k'.
'it'+'k'='itk'
'itk' with letters rearranged gives 'KIT'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for kit that I've seen before include "Equipment; young ferret" , "Set - uniform - gear" , "Young beaver" , "Equipment, clothing" , "Apparatus" .)