Vegetable on spike causes injury (11,3)
I believe the answer is:
cauliflower ear
'injury' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I cannot understand how they can define each other.
'vegetable on spike' is the wordplay.
'vegetable' becomes 'cauliflower' (cauliflower is a kind of vegetable).
'on spike' becomes 'ear' (spike is another term for an ear of grain. I am not sure about the 'on' bit.).
'cauliflower'+'ear'='CAULIFLOWER EAR'
'causes' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for cauliflower ear that I've seen before include "Auricular deformation seen in boxers and rugby forwards?" , "damaged appendage" , "result of being battered?" , "Damaged organ" , "Battle-scarred lug" .)