Free from responsibility, sailor loves getting drunk (7)
I believe the answer is:
absolve
'free from responsibility' is the definition.
'sailor loves getting drunk' is the wordplay.
'sailor' becomes 'ab' (abbreviation for able seaman).
'getting drunk' is an anagram indicator.
'loves' anagrammed gives 'solve'.
'ab'+'solve'='ABSOLVE'
(Other definitions for absolve that I've seen before include "Give pardon" , "Fully pardon" , "free of error" , "Exonerate" , "Grant pardon for" .)