Caught in net, a timid, recoiling ape (7)
I believe the answer is:
imitate
'ape' is the definition.
(I know that ape is a more specific form of imitate)
'caught in net a timid recoiling' is the wordplay.
'caught in' indicates a hidden word.
'recoiling' shows that the letters should be reversed in order.
'etatimi' can be found hidden inside 'net a timid'.
'etatimi' reversed gives 'IMITATE'.
(Other definitions for imitate that I've seen before include "I tame it (anag)" , "Reproduce" , "Copy someone" , "Copy, simulate" , "Copy or mimic" .)