Permit a novice to get depressed (5)
I believe the answer is:
allow
'permit' is the definition.
(I know that permit can be written as allow)
'a novice to get depressed' is the wordplay.
'novice' becomes 'L' (as in a learner driver with L-plates on their car).
'to get' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'depressed' becomes 'low' (similar in meaning).
'a'+'l'+'low'='ALLOW'
(Other definitions for allow that I've seen before include "OK" , "Admit as acceptable" , "Permit, consent to" , "Acknowledge - concede" , "Give leave to" .)