Secure time away from nick (4)
I believe the answer is:
seal
'secure' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
'time away from nick' is the wordplay.
'time' becomes 't' (abbreviation).
'away from' is a deletion indicator.
'nick' becomes 'steal' (nick can informally mean to steal).
'steal' with 't' taken away is 'SEAL'.
(Other definitions for seal that I've seen before include "Stick down" , "Ocean mammal or official stamp." , "Mammal; impressed wax" , "Mammal seen swimming" , "Make airtight" .)