"Bitter" perhaps describes mean article about Grant (9)
I believe the answer is:
allowance
'grant' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'bitter perhaps describes mean article about' is the wordplay.
'bitter perhaps' becomes 'ale'.
'describes' indicates putting letters inside (describe can mean to form the outline of).
'mean' becomes 'low' (I've seen this before).
'article' becomes 'an' (indefinite article).
'about' becomes 'c' (abbreviation for 'circa'**).
'low'+'an'+'c'='lowanc'
'ale' placed around 'lowanc' is 'ALLOWANCE'.
(Other definitions for allowance that I've seen before include "Ration, quota" , "Money for agreed expenses" , "11 [LOLLY] in certain amount" , "discount" , "Concession - money for expenses" .)