The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 4 letter word PELT
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
P
E
L
T
Buddy explains!

The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does PELT mean?
PELT noun- A blow or stroke from something thrown.
- To bombard, as with missiles.
- To throw; to use as a missile.
- To rain or hail heavily.
- To beat or hit, especially repeatedly.
- To move rapidly, especially in or on a conveyance.
- To throw out words.