Engineer in Essex partly responsible for disturbing nature (8)
I believe the answer is:
eeriness
'disturbing nature' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both human attributes as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'engineer in essex partly' is the wordplay.
'partly' indicates the answer is hidden within the clue (part of the clue is used).
'EERINESS' is hidden in the letters of 'engineer in essex'.
'responsible for' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for eeriness that I've seen before include "'Weirdness, scariness (8)'" , "Strange and frightening quality" , "Weird quality" , "Ghostly quality" , "'Ghostliness, scariness (8)'" .)