Space given to lean recruit (6)
I believe the answer is:
enlist
'recruit' is the definition.
(I know that enlist is a type of recruit)
'space given to lean' is the wordplay.
'space' becomes 'en' (in printing, a space as wide as a letter 'n').
'given to' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'lean' becomes 'list' (both can mean to tilt).
'en'+'list'='ENLIST'
(Other definitions for enlist that I've seen before include "augment army" , "Join up - tinsel (anag)" , "Register" , "Listen (anag.)" , "Obtain help of" .)