A smack in a gale? (4)
I believe the answer is:
blow
This clue is a double definition.
'a smack' is the first definition.
(thesaurus)
'gale?' is the second definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
'in a' is the link.
(Other definitions for blow that I've seen before include "Shock; sound (a horn)" , "cocaine from US" , "Blast" , "Cease to be a problem" , "Waste" .)