The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 4 letter word TIDE
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
T
I
D
E
More clues leading to the result TIDE
- Surge? This does, regularly
- Course change is reversed
- As they say: “Drawn, I’m drawn by the moon”
- Ebb and flow? This does, regularly
- Ebb and flow sound restricted
- Speaker’s joined trend
- Surge observed in chapati — delicious!
- Soundly anchored in stream
- Flow restricted in sound
- What might carry ultimately dormant fish
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Surge" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case surge = tide.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 TIDE mean?
TIDE noun- The periodic change of the sea level, particularly when caused by the gravitational influence of the sun and the moon.
- A stream, current or flood.
- (chronology, except in liturgy) Time, notably anniversary, period or season linked to an ecclesiastical feast.
- A time.
- A point or period of time identified or described by a qualifier (found in compounds).
- The period of twelve hours.
- Something which changes like the tides of the sea.
- Tendency or direction of causes, influences, or events; course; current.
- Violent confluence
- To cause to float with the tide; to drive or carry with the tide or stream.
- To pour a tide or flood.
- To work into or out of a river or harbor by drifting with the tide and anchoring when it becomes adverse.
- To happen, occur.