Set lesbians free from meanness (11)
I believe the answer is:
beastliness
'meanness' is the definition.
('beastliness' can be a synonym of 'meanness')
'set lesbians free' is the wordplay.
'free' indicates an anagram.
'set'+'lesbians'='setlesbians'
'setlesbians' is an anagram of 'BEASTLINESS'.
'from' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for beastliness that I've seen before include "Characteristic of copper" , "Unpleasant behaviour" .)