Able seaman in a new place (7)
I believe the answer is:
capable
'able' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are adjectives. Maybe you can see an association between them that I don't see?
'seaman in a new place' is the wordplay.
'seaman' becomes 'ab'.
'in' is an insertion indicator.
'a new' is an anagram indicator.
'place' is an anagram of 'caple'.
'ab' put into 'caple' is 'CAPABLE'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for capable that I've seen before include "Of a person, competent" , "Able, competent" , "accomplished" , "Efficient" , "Competent, having a certain ability" .)