M then E, then R, then I, then T in award for eminence (5,2,5)
I believe the answer is:
order of merit
'eminence' is the definition.
Both the answer and definition are singular nouns.
Maybe you can see an association between them that I don't see?
'm then e then r then i then t in award for' is the wordplay.
I cannot really see how this works, but
'm' is found in the answer.
'e' is present in the answer.
'r' is found in the answer.
'i' is present in the answer.
't' is found in the answer.
'award' could be 'od' (OD is an example) and 'od' is present in the leftover letters.
an anagram of 'for' is 'rof' which is present in the answer.
The remaining letters 'er' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't understand.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for order of merit that I've seen before include "ranked by their results?" , "Valuable instruction" , "First, second, third" , "and there is every reason for carrying it out?" , "Chivalrous group" .)