### Clue: Dispensing with singer, with wife having left (5)
### Answer: AXING 
 ### Explanation: Definition: Dispensing with

(w)**AX**(w)**ING **(a bird, so "singer") *with* W (wife) *having left*
 
*If I have the parsing right here, then I think the clue should have said wives as there are two Ws to be removed.