What does the cryptic crossword clue "Audibly drop stone when liable to faint (8)" mean?

The wordplay uses a homophone (sounds like). SYNC (sounds like – audibly – ‘sink’, drop) + OPAL (stone) The answer is SYNCOPAL.

Audibly drop stone when liable to faint (8)

Guardian Cryptic #29573 | 9 Across | 2024-12-23 flower