Single male on time shows public persona (5)
I believe the answer is:
image
'public persona' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
'single male on time' is the wordplay.
'single' becomes 'I' (one).
'male' becomes 'm' (common abbreviation).
'on' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'time' becomes 'age' (an age is a period of time).
'i'+'m'+'age'='IMAGE'
'shows' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for image that I've seen before include "Public impression" , "Optical counterpart in mirror" , "Mental or physical representation" , "public perception" , "Purplish pigment; pool" .)