mavericks

Noun

maverick (plural mavericks)

1. An unbranded range animal.
   • In this distribution, care is taken to leave not only those which bear the owner's mark and brand, but his due proportion of the mavericks* that have been found upon the expedition. [footnote: *The term "maverick" is applied in this country to all animals that have neither mark nor brand upon them...1872, W. G. Kingsbury, “Cattle-raising in Western Texas. How It is Conducted—Profits of the Business, &c.”, in A Brief Description of Western Texas, […], San Antonio, Tx.: Herald Steam Job Printing...
2. (broadly) Anything dishonestly obtained.
3. (broadly) One who is unconventional or does not abide by rules.
   • Among historians he was a maverick because of his belief that history is meaningless.

   Synonyms:

   heteroclite, individualist, lone gunman, nonconformist, rebel

4. (broadly) One who creates or uses controversial or unconventional ideas or practices.
   • We then drift back into our old habits, glorify efficiency, and smile knowingly at the mavericks within the faculty who want the administration to take democracy seriously.1947, Norman Burns, The Administration of Higher Institutions under Changing Conditions (Institute for Administrative Officers of Higher Institutions; Proceedings), Chicago, Ill.: University of...
5. A person in the military who became an officer by going to college while on active duty as an enlisted person.
   • They had been working for and with each other for a very long period and their tolerance for “mavericks” was very high, especially if these mavericks continued to get promoted.2013, John T. Kuehn, “The Navy, Treaties, and Innovation”, in Agents of Innovation: The General Board and the Design of the Fleet that Defeated the Japanese Navy, Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute...
6. (slang) A queen and a jack as a starting hand in Texas hold ’em.

See all 15 meanings of maverick