Crossword Genius

When discarded, died out (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

ditched

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'when discarded' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both to do with ownership as well as being past participle verbs.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?

'died out' is the wordplay.
I cannot really understand how this works, but
'died' could be 'd' (abbreviation next to the year of someone's death) and 'd' is found within the answer.
The remaining letters 'itched' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't understand.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for ditched that I've seen before include "Dumped" , "Got rid of" , "Left in the lurch or landed plane in sea" , "Of plane, made forced landing on sea" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.
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