Start living downing drink before noon (9)
I believe the answer is:
beginning
'start' is the definition.
(I know that start can be written as beginning)
'living downing drink before noon' is the wordplay.
'living' becomes 'being' ('be' can be a synonym of 'live').
'downing' is an insertion indicator (to down food or drink is to swallow it quickly).
'drink before' becomes 'gin' (gin is an alcoholic drink. I am not sure about the 'before' bit.).
'noon' becomes 'n' (abbreviation for noon).
'gin'+'n'='ginn'
'being' going around 'ginn' is 'BEGINNING'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for beginning that I've seen before include "Used hands clumsily" , "Commencement" , "Start" .)