The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word LURCHED
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
L
U
R
C
H
E
D
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Having suddenly changed direction" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case having suddenly changed direction = lurched.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 LURCHED mean?
LURCHED verb- To make such a sudden, unsteady movement.
- To swallow or eat greedily; to devour; hence, to swallow up.
- To leave someone in the lurch; to cheat.
- To rob.
- To evade by stooping; to lurk.