Friendly hint (8)
I believe the answer is:
intimate
I believe this is a double definition.
'friendly' is the first definition.
(thesaurus)
'hint' is the second definition.
(intimating is a kind of hinting)
(Other definitions for intimate that I've seen before include "Hint to a familiar friend" , "Bosom" , "Tip off" , "Personal - hint - friend" , "Sharing a close and affectionate friendship" .)