Others get small pauses (5)
I believe the answer is:
rests
'pauses' is the definition.
(rest is a kind of pause)
'others get small' is the wordplay.
'others' becomes 'rest' (eg the rest of a group).
'get' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'small' becomes 's' (abbreviation - e.g. clothes size).
'rest'+'s'='RESTS'
(Other definitions for rests that I've seen before include "Takes one's ease" , "Relaxes, sleeps" , "Pauses; relaxes" , "Reposes" , "holidays" .)