Give a girl a servile status (8)
I believe the answer is:
handmaid
'a servile status' is the definition.
'handmaid' can be an answer for 'status' (handmaid is a kind of status). I am not sure about the 'a servile' bit.
'give a girl' is the wordplay.
'give' becomes 'hand' ('hand' can be a synonym of 'give').
'a girl' becomes 'maid' (maid is a kind of girl**).
'hand'+'maid'='HANDMAID'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for handmaid that I've seen before include "servant - with 2d" , "Female attendant" , "Female servant" .)