A woman swallows a lot of salt water (5,3)
I believe the answer is:
adams ale
'water' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'a woman swallows a lot of salt' is the subsidiary indication.
'woman' becomes 'dame' (dame is a kind of woman**).
'swallows' indicates putting letters inside.
'a lot of' means to remove the last letter.
'salt' with its final letter taken away is 'sal'.
'dame' placed around 'sal' is 'damsale'.
'a'+'damsale'='adamsale'
(Other definitions for adams ale that I've seen before include "simple drink" , "Liquid refreshment" , "Water (humorous)" , "Drink - a sad meal (anag)" , "Relaxed, tolerant" .)