Crossword Genius

Be discriminatory perhaps, having lost the head (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

exist

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'be' is the definition.
(I know that be can be written as exist)

I don't understand how the remainder of the clue works.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for exist that I've seen before include "Have objective reality" , "Scrape by" , "Get a life!" , "Be alive" , "Have being or continue living" .)

I've seen this clue in The Irish Times.
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