Diplomacy is hedging about means to achieve end (7)
I believe the answer is:
tactics
'to achieve end' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this definition defines the answer.
'diplomacy is hedging about' is the wordplay.
'diplomacy' becomes 'tact' (tact can mean diplomacy or sensitivity).
'hedging' means one lot of letters goes inside another (some letters hedge or border others).
'about' becomes 'c' (circa).
'is' enclosing 'c' is 'ics'.
'tact'+'ics'='TACTICS'
'means' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for tactics that I've seen before include "Art of disposing military forces" , "Art of military manoeuvre" , "Military science" , "Art of manoeuvring" , "Use of available means to reach an end" .)