Romeo befuddled without line to submit in play
I believe the answer is:
elbowroom
'play' is the definition.
(thesaurus)
'romeo befuddled without line to submit' is the subsidiary indication.
'befuddled' is an anagram indicator.
'without' is an insertion indicator ('without' can be similar in meaning to 'outside').
'line' becomes 'l'.
'to submit' becomes 'bow' ('bow' can be a synonym of 'submit').
'romeo' with letters rearranged gives 'eroom'.
'l'+'bow'='lbow'
'eroom' enclosing 'lbow' is 'elbowroom'.
'in' is the link.
(Other definitions for elbowroom that I've seen before include "Enough space to work or move in - flex arm" , "Enough scope to function" , "Leeway" , "Lower boom to make working space" , "Space to function" .)