Issue the time to return (4)
I believe the answer is:
emit
'issue' is the definition.
(thesaurus)
'the time to return' is the wordplay.
'to return' says the letters should be written in reverse.
'time' written backwards gives 'EMIT'.
(Other definitions for emit that I've seen before include "Expel" , "Make audible sounds" , "Small turtle" , "Sent" , "Exhale" .)