They're read at times (7)
I believe the answer is:
minutes
'times' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both human attributes as well as being plural nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'they're read at' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite understand how this works, but
'at' could be 'in' (synonymous in some cases - eg at school, in school) and 'in' is found within the answer.
The remaining letters 'mutes' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't see.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for minutes that I've seen before include "Record of a meeting" , "Written account of a meeting" , "Record of a meeting's decisions" , "summary" , "Records" .)