Predicament about awful toil provides ignition (5,5)
I believe the answer is:
pilot light
'ignition' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both man-made objects as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'predicament about awful toil' is the wordplay.
'predicament' becomes 'plight' (synonyms).
'about' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'awful' indicates an anagram.
'toil' with letters rearranged gives 'ilot'.
'plight' enclosing 'ilot' is 'PILOT LIGHT'.
'provides' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for pilot light that I've seen before include "ignite the jets" , "Airline slightly short-staffed?" , "what should always be on" , "gas burner" , "Burning 27 [GAS]" .)