Speed round reversing vehicle in competitive situation (3,4)
I believe the answer is:
rat race
'competitive situation' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both acts as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps there's an association between them I don't understand?
'speed round reversing vehicle' is the wordplay.
'speed' becomes 'rate' (both can mean pace).
'round' indicates putting letters inside.
'reversing' is a reversal indicator.
'vehicle' becomes 'car' (car is a kind of vehicle).
'car' in reverse letter order is 'rac'.
'rate' placed around 'rac' is 'RAT-RACE'.
'in' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for rat race that I've seen before include "keen contest" , "The struggle for survival" , "Competitive way of life" , "Life's competition" , "life's futile struggle" .)