Soup runs regularly provide work (4)
I believe the answer is:
opus
'work' is the definition.
(an opus is an artistic work)
'soup runs regularly' is the wordplay.
'regularly' means one should take alternating letters (regularly take one letter, leave next etc.).
'soup'+'runs'='soupruns'
The alternate letters of 'soupruns' are 'OPUS'.
'provide' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for opus that I've seen before include "Piece of music (with number)" , "(Numbered) musical composition" , "Work of 25 perhaps" , "Work (of a composer?)" , "Composer's catalogue number" .)