Matching dishes may be here to wash, we hear (2,4)
I believe the answer is:
in sync
'matching' is the definition.
Both the answer and definition are adjectives.
Maybe there's an association between them I don't understand?
I cannot understand how the remainder of the clue works.
(Other definitions for in sync that I've seen before include "working well together" , "Harmonious" , "Running together correctly" .)