Sounds ill like this (3)
I believe the answer is:
sic
'this' is the definition.
Both the answer and definition are adverbs.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'sounds ill' is the wordplay.
'sounds' shows a homophone (sound like).
'ill' becomes 'sick' (synonyms).
'sick' sounds like 'SIC'.
'like' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for sic that I've seen before include "Intentionally so written" , "As it stands, in printing" , "(Of quoted word) exactly so" , "It calls attention to a quoted mistake" , "Thus among musicians" .)