Short blow holding instrument upside down (8)
I believe the answer is:
petulant
'short' is the definition.
(both can mean bad tempered)
'blow holding instrument upside down' is the wordplay.
'blow' becomes 'pant'.
'holding' is an insertion indicator.
'instrument' becomes 'lute' (lute is a kind of instrument).
'upside down' shows that the letters should be reversed in order.
'lute' in reverse letter order is 'etul'.
'pant' enclosing 'etul' is 'PETULANT'.
(Other definitions for petulant that I've seen before include "Childishly sulky or bad-tempered" , "Fractious, peevish" , "Sullen in a peevish way" , "peevish impatience" , "Fractious, pouty" .)