Sailor that may be sitting on meal table (4)
I believe the answer is:
salt
I believe this clue is a double definition.
'sailor' is the first definition.
(salt is a kind of sailor)
'that may be sitting on meal table' is the second definition.
(table salt)
(Other definitions for salt that I've seen before include "Seasoned sailor" , "Sea dog" , "Liveliness" , "Brackish" , "Condiment - old sailor" .)