Ready to embrace better harlot (8)
I believe the answer is:
strumpet
'harlot' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
'ready to embrace better' is the wordplay.
'ready to' becomes 'set' (synonyms).
'embrace' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'better' becomes 'trump' (both can mean to outdo or beat).
'set' enclosing 'trump' is 'STRUMPET'.
(Other definitions for strumpet that I've seen before include "Lady of disrepute" , "Promiscuous woman" , "promiscuous, lady" , "Tart" , "... unlike her!" .)