A ship getting close turns (5)
I believe the answer is:
sends
'turns' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both to do with communicating as well as being verbs in their -s form.
Maybe you can see a link between them that I can't see?
'a ship getting close' is the wordplay.
'a ship' becomes 'SS' (prefix in ship names eg SS Great Britain).
'getting' is an insertion indicator.
'close' becomes 'end' (close can mean to end or finish).
'ss' going around 'end' is 'SENDS'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for sends that I've seen before include "Causes to go somewhere" , "Transmits" , "Despatches" .)