Gave out to American linked to unreliable designs (8)
I believe the answer is:
assigned
'gave out' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both to do with ownership as well as being past participle verbs.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'american linked to unreliable designs' is the wordplay.
'american' becomes 'a' (common abbreviation - e.g. in organisation names).
'linked to' says to put letters next to each other.
'unreliable' is an anagram indicator.
'designs' is an anagram of 'ssigned'.
'a'+'ssigned'='ASSIGNED'
'to' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for assigned that I've seen before include "Told" , "Allotted or appointed to a post" , "transferred" , "'Allotted, ascribed (8)'" , "Appointed to a duty or task" .)