Contend with wife and small opinions (5)
I believe the answer is:
views
'opinions' is the definition.
(I know this)
'contend with wife and small' is the wordplay.
'contend with' becomes 'vie' (I've seen this in another clue).
'wife' becomes 'w'.
'and' says to put letters next to each other.
'small' becomes 's' (abbreviation - e.g. clothes size).
'vie'+'w'+'s'='VIEWS'
(Other definitions for views that I've seen before include "Looks at; opinions" , "What pollsters seek" , "Aspects, panoramas" , "Opinions, perspectives" , "Vistas; opinions" .)