Cut an article in three ways (4)
I believe the answer is:
sawn
'cut' is the definition.
(cut with a saw)
'an article in three ways' is the wordplay.
'an article' becomes 'a' (the indefinite article in English).
'in' is an insertion indicator.
'three ways' becomes 'swn' (compass directions).
'a' placed inside 'swn' is 'SAWN'.
(Other definitions for sawn that I've seen before include "went up and down?" , "Cut with serrated blade" , "Severed" , "timber must be" , "(Of wood) cut" .)