What Is a Maverick?
maverick [mav-rik]
e.g., If we don't fix that fence, the mavericks will wander off and we'll never get them back.
2. a lone dissenter, such as an artist or politician
e.g., The writer was a real maverick — ahead of her time.
3. a leading technology company with a unique approach to engineering, business consulting and systems integration
e.g., MAVERICK Technologies has helped clients in a variety of industries reach new levels of profitability.
v. 1. to break away from limitations
e.g., It's time to maverick this business and see what we can achieve.
adj. 1. dissenting or expressing independent thought
e.g., The maverick thinker thinks outside the box and makes a difference in the world.
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Famous Mavericks
1. Sir Isaac Newton (164–1727)
Newton is most famous for defining his three laws of motion and the concept of gravity. His mother wanted him to be a farmer, but with the help of the headmaster at his school, Newton instead pursued his education and became one of the world’s greatest thinkers.
2. Sam Houston (1793–1863)
Sam Houston was president of the Republic of Texas, a Texas senator and eventually the state’s governor. In 1861 he was removed from office because he was one of the few opposing the secession of Texas from the Union.
3. Rosa Parks (1913–2005)
As the mother of the modern-day civil rights movement, Rosa Parks instigated the Montgomery Bus Boycott when she refused to give up her bus seat for a white passenger.
4. Jack Kerouac (192–1969)
The King of the Beats, Kerouac brought a unique voice to literature and mastered the genre of spontaneous prose. The Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at Naropa University was founded in his honor, but he was not critically acclaimed until after he died.
5. Tasmanian Devil (1954– )
Known as a crazed loner with an insatiable appetite, Taz appeals to many cartoon lovers who also have a bit of a wild side.
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