gumshoe
gumshoe Lexical Profile
gumshoe Game Scores & Validity
• noun
North American A private detective or police investigator (used informally, often evoking classic noir fiction).
"The veteran gumshoe spent three rainy nights staking out the warehouse before finding a lead."
North American A waterproof overshoe or sneaker made with a soft rubber sole.
"He slipped on a pair of sturdy gumshoes before heading out into the muddy yard."
• verb
North American To go about stealthily, or to investigate and snoop around like a detective.
"Reporters were gumshoeing around the courthouse all week in search of leaked documents."
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in mid-19th-century American English from 'gum' (referring to India rubber) and 'shoe'. Because rubber-soled shoes allowed wearers to walk silently, the word became slang for a detective or someone moving stealthily by the early 1900s.