Unnecessary short pointers (7)
I believe the answer is:
needles
'pointers' is the definition.
(needle is a kind of pointer)
'unnecessary short' is the wordplay.
'unnecessary' becomes 'needless' (similar in meaning).
'short' means to remove the last letter.
'needless' with its last letter removed is 'NEEDLES'.
(Other definitions for needles that I've seen before include "Isle of Wight chalk monoliths" , "Sewers; annoys" , "They may play LPs" , "Slender points of a conifer" , "Where a lighthouse is" .)