This beast may take a battering (3)
I believe the answer is:
ram
'this beast' is the definition.
(I've seen this in other clues)
'take a battering' is the wordplay.
'take' becomes 'r' (abbreviation for 'recipe', Latin for 'take').
'a battering' becomes 'am' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'r'+'am'='RAM'
'may' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for ram that I've seen before include "Computer memory of a sheep?" , "Computers need it to operate" , "farm animal" , "barge" , "Pound" .)