Diplomat not drinking gripped by advanced thirst (7)
I believe the answer is:
attache
'diplomat' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'drinking gripped by advanced thirst' is the wordplay.
'drinking' becomes 'absorbent' (I've seen this before).
'gripped' suggests removing the centre (I've seen 'grip' mean this).
'by advanced thirst' becomes 'tache' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'absorbent' with its middle taken out is 'at'.
'at'+'tache'='ATTACHE'
'not' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for attache that I've seen before include "Briefcase or member of a diplomatic mission" , "Embassy employee" , "ambassador's assistant" , "Man with a mission" , "Briefcase or diplomat" .)