Cinders or sweetheart washed up (6)
I believe the answer is:
ashore
'washed up' is the definition.
(washed up on the shore)
'cinders or sweetheart' is the wordplay.
'cinders' becomes 'ash' (I've seen this in another clue).
'sweetheart' becomes 'e' (the heart/centre of 'sweet').
'ash'+'or'+'e'='ASHORE'
(Other definitions for ashore that I've seen before include "On(to) dry land" , "in port?" , "Beached" , "On land (as opposed to the sea)" , "on the coast" .)