Flank with string of a secondary occupation (8)
I believe the answer is:
sideline
'a secondary occupation' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both acts as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps there's a link between them I don't understand?
'flank with string' is the wordplay.
'flank' becomes 'side' (I've seen this before).
'with' says to put letters next to each other.
'string' becomes 'line' (line is a kind of string).
'side'+'line'='SIDELINE'
'of' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for sideline that I've seen before include "Remove from the centre of activity" , "Secondary job" , "not my main interest" , "Subsidiary activity" , "Take out of the picture" .)