Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A person who shows independence of thought and action, especially by refusing to adhere to the policies of a group to which he or she belongs.
- noun An unbranded range animal, especially a calf that has become separated from its mother, traditionally considered the property of the first person who brands it.
- adjective Characterized by or displaying independence of thought and action.
from The Century Dictionary.
- To seize or brand (an animal) as a maverick; hence, to take possession of without any legal claim; appropriate dishonestly or illegally: as, to
maverick a piece of land. - noun On the great cattle-ranges of the United States, an animal found without an owner's brand, particularly a calf away from its dam, on which the finder puts his own or his employer's brand; or one of a number of such animals gathered in a general round-up or muster of the herds of different owners feeding together, which are distributed in a manner agreed upon.
- noun Hence—2. Anything dishonestly obtained, as a saddle, mine, or piece of land.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun In the southwestern part of the united States, a bullock or heifer that has not been branded, and is unclaimed or wild; -- said to be from Maverick, the name of a cattle owner in Texas who neglected to brand his cattle.
- transitive verb Western U. S. To take a maverick.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective Showing independence in thoughts or actions.
- noun An
unbranded range animal. - noun One who does not
abide by rules. - noun One who creates or uses unconventional and/or controversial ideas or practices.
- noun poker slang A
queen and ajack as a starting hand inTexas hold ’em
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun someone who exhibits great independence in thought and action
- adjective independent in behavior or thought
- noun an unbranded range animal (especially a stray calf); belongs to the first person who puts a brand on it
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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If you understand that the word maverick is code for undisciplined.
Steven Denlinger: Dear Sarah Palin, Please leave - we don't need your sort in Ohio! 2008
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As opposed to using the term maverick, how about a list of how mavericky he has been.
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I cheered when Senator Joe Biden put to rest her use of the term maverick to describe John McCain when Biden said stated, “he has been no maverick on the things that matter to people's lives.”
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Or when McCain tries to reintroduce the term maverick into the campaign, Obama makes fun of it and shows the opposite of what maverick means.
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The title maverick was derived from a stock man of that name, whose practice was to claim _all_ unbranded calves in a herd.
The Boy Ranchers on the Trail Willard F. Baker
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While the bit about the "rage animal" seems to align itself with one of McCain's purported problems, I must acknowledge that the term maverick does connote a positive image in the
NDN blogs 2008
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Here's a bit of history for you: the term maverick actually comes from a real person, not a television series.
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Why does he and others think that being a maverick is a good thing.
Think Progress » FLASHBACK: McCain Said Of Himself And Palin, ‘What Do You Expect Of Two Mavericks?’ 2010
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Which means that calling someone a maverick is actually a neutral description.
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When mom is single by choice or circumstance or raising children in a two-mom family (what I call maverick moms), society's veneration of the so-called "traditional family" only adds to the holiday burden.
lampbane commented on the word maverick
Who You Callin’ a Maverick?
There’s that word again: maverick. In Thursday’s vice-presidential debate, Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska, the Republican candidate, used it to describe herself and her running mate, Senator John McCain, no fewer than six times, at one point calling him “the consummate maverick.�?
But to those who know the history of the word, applying it to Mr. McCain is a bit of a stretch — and to one Texas family in particular it is even a bit offensive.
“I’m just enraged that McCain calls himself a maverick,�? said Terrellita Maverick, 82, a San Antonio native who proudly carries the name of a family that has been known for its progressive politics since the 1600s, when an early ancestor in Boston got into trouble with the law over his agitation for the rights of indentured servants.
In the 1800s, Samuel Augustus Maverick went to Texas and became known for not branding his cattle. He was more interested in keeping track of the land he owned than the livestock on it, Ms. Maverick said; unbranded cattle, then, were called “Maverick’s.�? The name came to mean anyone who didn’t bear another’s brand.
October 7, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word maverick
Interesting, Lampbane! I was thinking about the history of the word and how it doesn't really apply in this case, but I didn't know all this family history. Thanks for posting.
This was my favorite part of the article:
"“It’s just incredible — the nerve! — to suggest that he’s not part of that Republican herd. Every time we hear it, all my children and I and all my family shrink a little and say, ‘Oh, my God, he said it again.’�?
“He’s a Republican,�? she said. “He’s branded.�?
October 7, 2008
whichbe commented on the word maverick
*wink*
October 9, 2008
kewpid commented on the word maverick
He did not say it at all during the second debate. Thanks in no small part to Tina Fey methinks.
October 9, 2008
Prolagus commented on the word maverick
I should remove this word from my "A spoonful of sugar" list, since there is no way I can possibly forget the meaning of this word after the Palin-bombing.
October 9, 2008
reesetee commented on the word maverick
*wondering how many of us played the "my friends" drinking game during the second debate*
*wondering how many are still hung over*
October 9, 2008
bilby commented on the word maverick
Tom Selleck played. Moustache probably still drooping :-{
October 9, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word maverick
James Garner played. I hope.
October 9, 2008
fbharjo commented on the word maverick
What is a maverick's brand?
October 13, 2008
gangerh commented on the word maverick
Something that de-mavericks a maverick.
October 13, 2008
vintage commented on the word maverick
Years ago in an IBM revue : the meaning was somebody without experience
June 7, 2010