Cash has run out at last, creating scarcity (7)
I believe the answer is:
drought
'scarcity' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I cannot understand how they can define each other.
'cash has run out at last' is the wordplay.
'cash' becomes 'dough' (dough can informally mean money).
'has' indicates putting letters inside.
'run' becomes 'r' (cricket abbreviation).
'at last' says to take the final letters.
The last letter of 'out' is 't'.
'dough' going around 'r' is 'drough'.
'drough'+'t'='DROUGHT'
'creating' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for drought that I've seen before include "Prolonged dry period" , "Period of low rainfall" , "Prolonged shortage of rainfall" , "Period with little rain" , "Long dry spell" .)