Summary: Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 28, 2013 is: maverick \MAV-rik\ noun 1 : an unbranded range animal; especially : a motherless calf 2 : an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party Examples: The award-winning columnist was regarded as a political maverick who clashed with his colleagues on many issues. "His famous dishes look more like freaky sea-life than food, but there's no denying Adria is a maverick and an innovator, a chef who rewrote the rules of running a restaurant, turning his food into an event in the process." From an article by Ben Norum in Time Out, June 18, 2013 Did you know? When a client gave Samuel A. Maverick 400 cattle to settle a $1,200 debt, the 19th-century south Texas lawyer had no use for them, so he left the cattle unbranded and allowed them to roam freely (supposedly under the supervision of one of his employees). Neighboring stockmen recognized their opportunity and seized it, branding and herding the stray cattle as their own. Maverick eventually recognized the folly of the situation and sold what was left of his depleted herd, but not before his name became synonymous with such unbranded livestock. By the end of the 19th century, the term "maverick" was being used to refer to individuals who prefer to blaze their own trails.
