For example, brown back or elbow (5)
I believe the answer is:
nudge
'elbow' is the definition.
(I know that elbow is a more specific form of the action nudge)
'for example brown back' is the wordplay.
'for example' becomes 'e.g.' (short for 'exempli gratia', 'for example' in Latin).
'brown' becomes 'dun' (dun is a kind of brown).
'back' is a reversal indicator.
'eg'+'dun'='egdun'
'egdun' written backwards gives 'NUDGE'.
'or' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for nudge that I've seen before include "Gentle prod" , "Remind (with the elbow?)" , "Push (with a wink?)" , "Light touch or push" , "Remind, prompt gently" .)