Soldier at base, tackling onset of shellshock, gets to demobilise? (8)
I believe the answer is:
paralyse
'demobilise?' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are verbs in their base form.
Perhaps there's an association between them I don't understand?
'soldier at base tackling onset of shellshock' is the wordplay.
'soldier' becomes 'para' (paratrooper).
'at base' becomes 'lye' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'tackling' indicates putting letters inside (to tackle is to take possession of).
'onset of' says to take the initial letters.
The initial letter of 'shellshock' is 's'.
'lye' enclosing 's' is 'lyse'.
'para'+'lyse'='PARALYSE'
'gets to' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for paralyse that I've seen before include "Cause to be immobile" , "Immobilise a person" , "Render immobile" , "Deprive of ability to move" , "Make powerless, immobile, unable to function" .)