They may justify the means (4)
I believe the answer is:
ends
'they may justify the means' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is all the clue.
(Other definitions for ends that I've seen before include "Odds and --" , "'Goals, objectives (4)'" , "Justifications for means, sometimes?" , "Extremities" , "Stops in dens" .)