What does the cryptic crossword clue "Ladies' man disheartened female author (4)" mean?

The definition is "Ladies’ man". The wordplay uses a deletion. WOLF (deletion) = WOLF; definition: "Ladies' man" The answer is WOLF.

Ladies' man disheartened female author (4)

Guardian Cryptic #29281 | 24 Down | 2024-01-17 flower