Tough, gutless, steals pounds (6)
I believe the answer is:
throbs
'pounds' is the definition.
(throb can mean to pound or beat)
'tough gutless steals' is the wordplay.
'gutless' suggests removing the centre.
'steals' becomes 'robs' (robbing is a kind of stealing).
'tough' with its centre taken out is 'th'.
'th'+'robs'='THROBS'
(Other definitions for throbs that I've seen before include "Pulsates like heart" , "Pounds" , "Beats like the heart" , "Pulsates, with pain perhaps" , "Beats as a pulse" .)