Something afoot when a drunkard embraces a sailor (5)
I believe the answer is:
sabot
'something afoot' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this definition defines the answer.
'a drunkard embraces a sailor' is the wordplay.
'a drunkard' becomes 'sot' (sot can mean a drunken person).
'embraces' is an insertion indicator.
'a sailor' becomes 'ab' (abbreviation for able seaman).
'sot' enclosing 'ab' is 'SABOT'.
'when' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for sabot that I've seen before include "Wooden clog" , "Simple shoe" , "Boast (anag) - shoe" , "sole support?" , "footwear from Paris" .)