Bully drunk a cider and left before the fight (9)
I believe the answer is:
cowardice
'left before the fight' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this definition defines the answer.
'bully drunk a cider' is the wordplay.
'bully' becomes 'cow' (I've seen this before).
'drunk' is an anagram indicator.
'a'+'cider'='acider'
'acider' with letters rearranged gives 'ardice'.
'cow'+'ardice'='COWARDICE'
'and' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for cowardice that I've seen before include "Lack of courage, pusillanimity" , "Timidity - lack of courage" , "Yellowness" , "not bravery, either" , "Spineless character" .)