Sweet-smelling cloth held by father and worker (8)
I believe the answer is:
fragrant
'sweet-smelling' is the definition.
(similar in meaning)
'cloth held by father and worker' is the wordplay.
'cloth' becomes 'rag' (rag is a kind of cloth).
'held by' is an insertion indicator.
'father' becomes 'fr' (abbreviation as in a priest's title).
'and' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'worker' becomes 'ant' (worker is a type of ant).
'rag' inserted inside 'fr' is 'fragr'.
'fragr'+'ant'='FRAGRANT'
(Other definitions for fragrant that I've seen before include "smelling nice" , "bouquet" , "Perfumed" , "Pleasantly smelly?" , "Pleasantly smelling" .)