John can essentially forgive criminal behaviour (7)
I believe the answer is:
looting
'criminal behaviour' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both acts as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'john can essentially forgive' is the wordplay.
'john' becomes 'loo' (both can mean a toilet).
'can' becomes 'tin' (both are metal containers).
'essentially' means to look at the middle letters.
The central letter of 'forgive' is 'g'.
'loo'+'tin'+'g'='LOOTING'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for looting that I've seen before include "Wartime stealing" , "Sacking" , "Plundering during riots or in wartime" , "pillage" , "Wartime theft" .)