The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 4 letter word CARL
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
C
A
R
L
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 CARL mean?
CARL noun- A rude, rustic man; a churl.
- A stingy person; a niggard.
- To snarl; to talk grumpily or gruffly.