Avoided having key cut (8)
I believe the answer is:
eschewed
'avoided' is the definition.
(eschewing is a kind of avoiding)
'key cut' is the wordplay.
'key' becomes 'esc' ('Escape' key on a computer keyboard).
'cut' becomes 'hewed' (I've seen this in another clue).
'esc'+'hewed'='ESCHEWED'
'having' is the link.
(Other definitions for eschewed that I've seen before include "not made use of" , "left alone?" , "Shunned, kept away from" , "Deliberately avoided - chew seed (anag)" , "Steered clear of" .)