Spending some surplus in gold (5)
I believe the answer is:
using
'spending' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both acts as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'some surplus in gold' is the wordplay.
'some' indicates the answer is hidden within the clue (some of the parts of the word are used).
'USING' is hidden in the letters of 'surplus in gold'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for using that I've seen before include "Exercising" , "Putting to a particular purpose" , "having recourse to" , "Exploiting for one's own advantage" , "taking drugs" .)