Bristles supporting oddly easy judges (7)
I believe the answer is:
esteems
'judges' is the definition.
(to esteem is to judge or deem)
'bristles supporting oddly easy' is the wordplay.
'bristles' becomes 'teems' (I've seen this in another clue).
'supporting' means one lot of letters go next to another (in a down clue, some letters go below others).
'oddly' means one should take alternating letters (letters in the odd-numbered positions are used).
The alternate letters of 'easy' are 'es'.
'teems' put after 'es' is 'ESTEEMS'.
(Other definitions for esteems that I've seen before include "Regards highly" , "Prizes or admires" , "Treasures" , "Values highly" .)