Recede, revealing some pebbles (3)
I believe the answer is:
ebb
'recede' is the definition.
(ebbing is a kind of receding)
'some pebbles' is the wordplay.
'some' indicates a hidden word (some parts of the word are used).
'EBB' is hidden in the letters of 'pebbles'.
'revealing' is the link.
(Other definitions for ebb that I've seen before include "Not to wax" , "(Water) recede" , "Drain away; decline" , "Type of tide" , "Tidal outflow" .)