Scrub as taken out before (3)
I believe the answer is:
ere
'before' is the definition.
(poetic term for 'before')
'scrub as taken' is the wordplay.
'scrub' becomes 'erase' (I've seen this in another clue).
'taken' suggests deleting specific letters.
'erase' with 'as' taken away is 'ERE'.
'out' is the link.
I am not very happy about this link. It may belong to another bit of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for ere that I've seen before include "Archaic word for before - a palindrome" , "Before, poetically" , "Old word for before" , "Before (in poetry)" , "Old prior" .)