Afraid of getting a loud, lengthy rebuke (7)
I believe the answer is:
fearful
'afraid' is the definition.
(associated in meaning)
'loud lengthy rebuke' is the wordplay.
'loud' becomes 'f' (short for forte - 'loud' in music).
'lengthy rebuke' becomes 'earful' (I've seen this in another clue).
'f'+'earful'='FEARFUL'
'of getting a' is the link.
This may not be right. Some or all of it may belong to another bit of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for fearful that I've seen before include "wary" , "Timorous; terrible" , "Scared" , "Apprehensive, worried" , "Timid" .)