Finding out alternative to large inn (8)
I believe the answer is:
learning
'finding out' is the definition.
('learn' can be a synonym of 'find out')
'alternative to large inn' is the wordplay.
'alternative to' is an anagram indicator.
'large'+'inn'='largeinn'
'largeinn' with letters rearranged gives 'LEARNING'.
(Other definitions for learning that I've seen before include "Lore" , "Large inn (anag)" , "The gaining of knowledge" , "Erudition - education" , "Instruction" .)