The common fellow hits out, perhaps, when many are taken in (5)
I believe the answer is:
smith
'the common fellow' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe you can see an association between them that I don't see?
'hits out perhaps when many are taken in' is the wordplay.
'out' indicates anagramming the letters (out can mean wrong or inaccurate).
'perhaps when many are' becomes 'm' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'taken in' is an insertion indicator.
'hits' with letters rearranged gives 'sith'.
'sith' going around 'm' is 'SMITH'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for smith that I've seen before include "Forger" , "Metal worker" , "See 14" , "Bessie - - , blues singer" , "Person who makes things in metal, may be black" .)