General caught with howitzer at first, being out for blood (5)
I believe the answer is:
leech
'out for blood' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'general caught with howitzer at first' is the wordplay.
'general' becomes 'Lee' (Robert E. Lee - US revolutionary commander).
'caught' becomes 'c' (cricket abbreviation).
'with' says to put letters next to each other.
'at first' indicates taking the first letters.
The first letter of 'howitzer' is 'h'.
'lee'+'c'+'h'='LEECH'
'being' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for leech that I've seen before include "Blood-sucking worm or parasitical person" , "Archaic word for physician" , "Old medicinal sucker" , "sponge" , "one good at sponging" .)