Crossword Genius

Yes, sailors pine (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

yearn

'pine' is the definition.
('yearn' can be a synonym of 'pine')

'yes sailors' is the wordplay.
'yes' becomes 'yea' (I've seen this before).
'sailors' becomes 'rn' (abbreviation for Royal Navy).
'yea'+'rn'='YEARN'

(Other definitions for yearn that I've seen before include "Ache, crave" , "lust" , "Feel desire" , "Have a great longing" , "Hanker" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.