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Having the capacity to live without a drop of refreshing fluid (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

variable

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'having the capacity to live' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this defines the answer.

'without a drop of refreshing fluid' is the wordplay.
'without' is an insertion indicator.
'drop of' says to take the initial letters.
'fluid' becomes 'viable' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
The initial letter of 'refreshing' is 'r'.
'a'+'r'='ar'
'ar' inserted inside 'viable' is 'VARIABLE'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for variable that I've seen before include "Subject to change" , "Prone to change" , "Not consistent, without a fixed pattern" , "Unsteady" , "Inconsistent" .)

I've seen this clue in The Hindu.
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