Venetian ruler has daughter to avoid (5)
I believe the answer is:
dodge
'avoid' is the definition.
(dodging is a kind of avoiding)
'venetian ruler has daughter' is the wordplay.
'venetian ruler' becomes 'doge' (I've seen this before).
'has' indicates putting letters inside.
'daughter' becomes 'd'.
'doge' enclosing 'd' is 'DODGE'.
'to' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for dodge that I've seen before include "Avoid cunningly" , "Avoid; cunning trick" , "Avoid or evade by bodily movement" , "Avoid by sudden movement" , "Evasion" .)