Take pains to be outmanoeuvred after mass (9)
I believe the answer is:
endeavour
'mass' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both acts as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'take pains to be outmanoeuvred' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite see how this works, but
'take' could be 'r' (abbreviation for 'recipe', Latin for 'take') and 'r' is located in the answer.
'be' could be 'end' (ending is a kind of being) and 'end' is located in the answer.
This explanation may well be incorrect...
'after' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for endeavour that I've seen before include "Enterprise; earnest effort" , "Aim" , "Try - Cook's ship" , "Cook's old vessel" , "Expenditure of effort" .)