Try to delay a speed increase (9)
I believe the answer is:
temporise
'try to delay a' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this definition defines the answer.
'speed increase' is the wordplay.
'speed' becomes 'tempo' (I've seen this in another clue).
'increase' becomes 'rise' (rising is a kind of increasing).
'tempo'+'rise'='TEMPORISE'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for temporise that I've seen before include "fail to decide" , "Emptier so as to avoid giving a definite answer" , "Put off" , "Delay" , "Hedge" .)