Wise attempt to get a chair (4)
I believe the answer is:
seat
'a chair' is the definition.
(something to sit on)
'wise attempt to get' is the wordplay.
'to get' indicates a hidden word (I've seen 'gets' mean this).
'SEAT' is hidden in the letters of 'wise attempt'.
(Other definitions for seat that I've seen before include "Sitting place" , "Take one and sit" , "MP's place in parliament" , "Chair - bottom" , "Chair, bench, saddle, etc" .)