Listen in when these drop (5)
I believe the answer is:
eaves
'listen' is the definition.
The answer and definition are not the same part of speech.
'when these drop' is the wordplay.
'when' becomes 'e' (I've seen this in other clues).
'these drop' becomes 'aves' (I can't justify this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'e'+'aves'='EAVES'
'in' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for eaves that I've seen before include "Overhanging part of roof" , "parts of housetops" , "Section of roof" , "what might constitute a hangover?" , "Anything projecting" .)