Confederates pass nautical measures (10)
I believe the answer is:
colleagues
'confederates' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both people as well as being plural nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'pass nautical measures' is the wordplay.
'pass' becomes 'col' (col is a term for a mountain pass).
'nautical measures' becomes 'leagues' (league is a kind of measure. I am not sure about the 'nautical' bit.).
'col'+'leagues'='COLLEAGUES'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for colleagues that I've seen before include "Team mates" , "Business associates" , "Fellow workers" .)