I had been at the front - and took it easy! (5)
I believe the answer is:
idled
'took it easy' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
'i had been' is the wordplay.
'i had' becomes 'i'd' (I'd).
'been' becomes 'led' (leading is a kind of being).
'id'+'led'='IDLED'
'at the front and' is the link.
This may not be right. Some or all of it may be part of another bit of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for idled that I've seen before include "Loafed, lazed about" , "(Of an engine) ran slowly out of gear" , "Was lazy" , "Lazed around" , "pottered" .)