Drunkard catches cold preceding check for booze (6)
I believe the answer is:
scotch
'booze' is the definition.
(Scotch is an example)
'drunkard catches cold preceding check' is the wordplay.
'drunkard' becomes 'sot' (synonyms).
'catches' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'cold' becomes 'c' (eg on taps).
'preceding check' becomes 'ch' (abbreviation. I am not sure about the 'preceding' bit.).
'sot' enclosing 'c' is 'scot'.
'scot'+'ch'='SCOTCH'
'for' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for scotch that I've seen before include "providing nursery facility in school" , "See 1" , "Put an end to - whisky spelt thus?" , "Put an end to - in Glasgow? (6)" , "liquor" .)