Temporarily failed in returning Claude’s palm oil (6)
I believe the answer is:
lapsed
'temporarily failed' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both related to change as well as being past participle verbs.
Maybe you can see a link between them that I can't see?
'in returning claude's palm oil' is the wordplay.
'returning' is a reversal indicator.
'in' indicates the answer is hidden within the clue.
'despal' can be found hidden inside 'claudes palm oil'.
'despal' reversed gives 'LAPSED'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for lapsed that I've seen before include "Expired, ran out" , "Out of date" , "Pleads, having failed to maintain standards" , "Became invalid through disuse" , "Became invalid (through lack of renewal)" .)