Threatened strikes that don't come off (6)
I believe the answer is:
feints
'threatened strikes' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both acts as well as being plural nouns.
Perhaps there's a link between them I don't understand?
I don't understand how the rest of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for feints that I've seen before include "Makes movement to divert attention, as fencer does" , "Deceptive moves" , "Moves deceptively" , "Makes move to divert attention as in fencing" , "Movements made to divert attention" .)