Try to get volunteers at the outset (5)
I believe the answer is:
taste
'try' is the definition.
(synonyms)
'get volunteers at the outset' is the wordplay.
'get' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'volunteers' becomes 'TA' (abbreviation for Territorial Army).
'at the outset' becomes 'ste' (I can't explain this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'ta' put next to 'ste' is 'TASTE'.
'to' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for taste that I've seen before include "Test for flavour" , "A sense; briefly sample" , "To eat sparingly" , "Fine discernment" , "Sample by eating or drinking a little" .)