Terribly sad about second-class swimmers (4)
I believe the answer is:
dabs
'swimmers' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are plural nouns, I cannot see how one could define the other.
'terribly sad about second-class' is the wordplay.
'terribly' indicates an anagram.
'about' is an insertion indicator.
'second class' becomes 'b' ().
'sad' with letters rearranged gives 'das'.
'das' placed around 'b' is 'DABS'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for dabs that I've seen before include "Fingerprints (sl.)" , "Fingerprints (colloq.)" , "fingerprint" , "incriminating evidence, perhaps" , "Applies light touches" .)