Crossword Genius

Leave sailor to support eliminating Spain (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

abscond

'leave' is the definition.
(thesaurus)

I don't understand the remainder of the clue.

(Other definitions for abscond that I've seen before include "Bods can (anag.)" , "Make off (with the money?)" , "Leave hurriedly to escape a legal process" , "Take flight" , "Leave quickly and secretly" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.