No sound from the stable is heard (3)
I believe the answer is:
nay
'no' is the definition.
(archaic form 'no')
'sound from the stable is heard' is the wordplay.
'sound from the stable' becomes 'neigh' (I've seen this in another clue).
'is heard' shows a homophone (sound like).
'neigh' is a homophone of 'NAY'.
(Other definitions for nay that I've seen before include "Denial" , "Archaic negative" , "telling a nicker from a pony?" , "Negative answer" , "disagreement" .)