Put down the boy about first indiscretion (4)
I believe the answer is:
laid
'put down' is the definition.
(to lay something is to put it down somewhere)
'boy about first indiscretion' is the wordplay.
'boy' becomes 'lad' (informal term for boy).
'about' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'first indiscretion' becomes 'i' (lst letter of 'indiscretion').
'lad' placed around 'i' is 'LAID'.
'the' is the link.
(Other definitions for laid that I've seen before include "Put down like dial" , "Wagered" , "tables may be?" , "spread on a surface" , "Flattened by wind and rain" .)