Resort to a lever to provide lift (8)
I believe the answer is:
elevator
'lift' is the definition.
('elevator' can be a synonym of 'lift')
'resort to a lever to' is the wordplay.
'resort' is an anagram indicator.
'a'+'lever'+'to'='aleverto'
'aleverto' is an anagram of 'ELEVATOR'.
'provide' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for elevator that I've seen before include "Farm herd" , "what makes flight unnecessary" , "An American lift in building" , "it's uplifting" , "A lift in America" .)