Takes a meal among sailors though it causes delay (9)
I believe the answer is:
tardiness
'it causes delay' is the definition.
'takes a meal among sailors' is the wordplay.
'takes a meal' becomes 'dines'.
'among' is an insertion indicator (inserted letters are placed among others).
'sailors' becomes 'tars' (tar is a kind of sailor).
'dines' put inside 'tars' is 'TARDINESS'.
'though' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for tardiness that I've seen before include "Delay" , "Habit of being late" , "Lateness" , "being a little late" , "No quality in fast food" .)