Grip case with empty travelator ahead (8)
I believe the answer is:
traction
'grip' is the definition.
(synonyms)
'case with empty travelator ahead' is the wordplay.
'case with' becomes 'action' (both refer to legal proceedings. I am not sure about the 'with' bit.).
'empty' means to remove the middle letters.
'ahead' means one lot of letters go next to another (some letters go in front of others).
'travelator' with its centre removed is 'tr'.
'action' put after 'tr' is 'TRACTION'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for traction that I've seen before include "(In orthopaedics) the pulling on a bone or limb to relieve pressure during healing" , "Pulling - into cart (anag)" , "Use of weights and pulleys to heal a fracture" , "Action of drawing or pulling something" , "Grip - rat in cot (anag)" .)