Insect queen raised sentient thing (7)
I believe the answer is:
antenna
'sentient thing' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both man-made objects as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'insect queen raised' is the wordplay.
'insect' becomes 'ant' (ant is a kind of insect).
'queen' becomes 'anne' (Queen Anne, 18th-century queen).
'raised' says the letters should be written backwards (going up in a down clue).
'anne' backwards is 'enna'.
'ant'+'enna'='ANTENNA'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for antenna that I've seen before include "Radio aerial" , "What detects signals" , "receiver" , "sensitive feeler" , "Insect's sensory appendage" .)