A little variable as to direction (4)
I believe the answer is:
east
'direction' is the definition.
(compass direction)
'a little variable as to' is the wordplay.
'a little' indicates the answer is hidden within the clue (a little bit of the clue).
'EAST' is hidden in the letters of 'variable as to'.
(Other definitions for east that I've seen before include "Oriental lands" , "4 dn 17 dn" , "course" , "the way the Wise Men came from" , "To right if facing North" .)