The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word DISPENSE
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
D
I
S
P
E
N
S
E
More clues leading to the result DISPENSE
- Hand out one’s soft thick sandwiches
- Pass out as girl with discernment, keeping quiet
- Dish out pies cooked by daughter new to the Home Counties
- Inspector meaning to secure quiet deal
- Administer varied needs round BT say
- Give out drugs for heartless disease gripping writers
- Dole out some coppers, some coppers reportedly
- Is penny invested in stupid deal
- What chemists do and have done
- What chemists and faith healers do with drugs
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "deal" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case deal = dispense.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 DISPENSE mean?
DISPENSE noun- Cost, expenditure.
- The act of dispensing, dispensation.
- To issue, distribute, or give out.
- To apply, as laws to particular cases; to administer; to execute; to manage; to direct.
- To supply or make up a medicine or prescription.
- To give a dispensation to (someone); to excuse.
- To compensate; to make up; to make amends.