Employ former intrigue embracing single (7)
I believe the answer is:
exploit
'employ' is the definition.
(I know that exploit has the is a more specific form of the action employ)
'former intrigue embracing single' is the wordplay.
'former' becomes 'ex' (prefix meaning former or onetime).
'intrigue' becomes 'plot' (I've seen this in another clue).
'embracing' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'single' becomes 'I' (I as in one).
'plot' enclosing 'i' is 'ploit'.
'ex'+'ploit'='EXPLOIT'
(Other definitions for exploit that I've seen before include "Daring feat; use unfairly" , "Fleece?" , "Make use of - great deed" , "Take unfair advantage of" , "Heroic feat" .)