Current item I dropped in support of the old man’s ways (5)
I believe the answer is:
paths
'ways' is the definition.
(path is a kind of way)
I cannot understand how the rest of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for paths that I've seen before include "Ways, routes" , "Tracks, routes" , "Trails" , "Tracks, ways" .)