Answer by sailor offering forgiveness (10)
I believe the answer is:
absolution
'forgiveness' is the definition.
(thesaurus)
'answer by sailor' is the wordplay.
'answer' becomes 'solution' ('solution' can be a synonym of 'answer'**).
'by' says to put letters next to each other.
'sailor' becomes 'ab' (abbreviation for able seaman).
'solution' put after 'ab' is 'ABSOLUTION'.
'offering' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for absolution that I've seen before include "pardon" , "Forgiveness" , "Release from guilt" , "acquittal" , "discharge" .)