Spade perhaps gathering up most of box, food container? (8)
I believe the answer is:
cupboard
'food container?' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both man-made objects as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'spade perhaps gathering up most of box' is the wordplay.
'spade perhaps' becomes 'card' (spades is a playing card suit).
'gathering' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'most of' means to remove the last letter.
'box' with its final letter taken away is 'bo'.
'up'+'bo'='upbo'
'card' placed around 'upbo' is 'CUPBOARD'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for cupboard that I've seen before include "Furniture item for storage" , "Piece of furniture used for storage" , "Closet" , "Storage unit" , "Storage cabinet" .)