Festering meal in time brings complaint (7)
I believe the answer is:
ailment
'complaint' is the definition.
(I know that complaint can be written as ailment)
'festering meal in time' is the wordplay.
'festering' indicates anagramming the letters.
'time' becomes 't' (abbreviation).
'meal'+'in'='mealin'
'mealin' with letters rearranged gives 'ailmen'.
'ailmen'+'t'='AILMENT'
'brings' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for ailment that I've seen before include "I lament (anag.)" , "infirmity" , "Tim Alen has an odd indisposition." , "Sickness" , "Physical disorder" .)