Social need at intervals to be sloshed (5)
I believe the answer is:
oiled
'sloshed' is the definition.
Both the answer and definition are adjectives. Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'social need at intervals' is the wordplay.
'at intervals' means one should take alternating letters (letters are taken at regular intervals).
'social'+'need'='socialneed'
The alternate letters of 'socialneed' are 'OILED'.
'to be' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for oiled that I've seen before include "wasted" , "Besotted" , "running smoothly?" , "as silk may be" , "Anointed" .)