Hit the drink in sympathy (7)
I believe the answer is:
rapport
'sympathy' is the definition.
(rapport is a kind of sympathy)
'hit the drink' is the wordplay.
'hit' becomes 'rap' (I've seen this in other clues).
'the drink' becomes 'port' (port is a kind of drink**).
'rap'+'port'='RAPPORT'
'in' is the link.
(Other definitions for rapport that I've seen before include "Empathy" , "communion" , "Close relationship with a common understanding" , "Harmonious and understanding relationship between people" , "Instinctive understanding between people" .)