Subject enamel to damage, dropping tar in (8)
I believe the answer is:
amenable
'subject' is the definition.
(thesaurus)
'enamel to damage dropping tar in' is the wordplay.
'to damage' indicates an anagram (I've seen 'damaged' mean this).
'dropping' indicates putting letters inside.
'tar in' becomes 'ab' (I am not sure about the 'in' bit.**).
'enamel' anagrammed gives 'amenle'.
'amenle' going around 'ab' is 'AMENABLE'.
(Other definitions for amenable that I've seen before include "Open to suggestions" , "Helpful" , "Flexible, agreeable" , "Acquiescent" , "Accommodating; flexible" .)