Use crates somehow as shears (9)
I believe the answer is:
secateurs
'shears' is the definition.
(I have seen 'Small shears' mean 'secateurs' so perhaps 'shears' could also mean 'secateurs')
'use crates somehow' is the wordplay.
'somehow' is an anagram indicator.
'use'+'crates'='usecrates'
'usecrates' anagrammed gives 'SECATEURS'.
'as' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for secateurs that I've seen before include "They make cuts" , "Clippers used for pruning plants" , "Small pruning shears" , "Gardener's tool" , "Pruning tool" .)