Tent’s top chopped off with sword (4)
I believe the answer is:
epee
'sword' is the definition.
(sword used in fencing)
'tent's top' is the wordplay.
'tent' becomes 'tepee' (tepee is a kind of tent).
'top' means to remove the first letter.
'tepee' with its initial letter taken away is 'EPEE'.
'chopped off with' is the link.
This may not be right. Some or all of it may be part of another bit of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for epee that I've seen before include "Bit of fencing" , "Duelling blade" , "Fighting blade" , "piece of fencing" , "Fencer's sword" .)