Visionary notion of sailors being given means of propulsion (11)
I believe the answer is:
abstraction
'visionary notion' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both man-made objects as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'sailors being given means of propulsion' is the wordplay.
'sailors' becomes 'abs' (AB is short for able seaman).
'being given' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'means of propulsion' becomes 'traction' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'abs'+'traction'='ABSTRACTION'
'of' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for abstraction that I've seen before include "Withdrawal from" , "Theoretical concept - removal" , "That's the general idea" , "form of treatment" , "withdrawing" .)