Even out a uniform following crooked pleat (7)
I believe the answer is:
plateau
'even out' is the definition.
'a uniform following crooked pleat' is the wordplay.
'uniform' becomes 'u' (phonetic alphabet: alpha, bravo, charlie etc.).
'following' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'crooked' indicates anagramming the letters.
'pleat' anagrammed gives 'plate'.
'a'+'u'='au'
'au' after 'plate' is 'PLATEAU'.
(Other definitions for plateau that I've seen before include "State of little change after a period of activity" , "one has no inclination" , "High plain" , "Flat highland" , "Levelling off" .)