<![CDATA[Gumshoe]]>An old slang term for a detective or investigator (police-affiliated or private). Variants include dick or private dick, the connotations of which were not meant to be obscene.
Shoes in the late 1800s were made of gum rubber - the soft-soled precursors of the modern sneaker. The phrase to gumshoe meant to sneak around quietly as if wearing gumshoes.
Gumshoe man was originally slang for thief, but by about 1908 the term gumshoe was used to refer to a police detective, and the term has stuck ever since (pun intended).

]]>https://definedictionarymeaning.com/topic/40866/gumshoeRSS for NodeSun, 14 Jun 2026 08:57:58 GMTWed, 12 Apr 2017 09:34:41 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Gumshoe on Sun, 08 Aug 2021 10:24:57 GMT]]>informal for detective (= someone whose job is to discover facts about a crime)

]]>https://definedictionarymeaning.com/post/403871https://definedictionarymeaning.com/post/403871Sun, 08 Aug 2021 10:24:57 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Gumshoe on Wed, 22 Dec 2021 15:34:03 GMT]]>Gumshoe refers to a cop and also a [private detective], like [Sam Spade]. If you walk the streets looking for clues long enough you get gum on your shoes. [Gumshoes] dont wear
sneakers.

]]>https://definedictionarymeaning.com/post/268389https://definedictionarymeaning.com/post/268389Wed, 22 Dec 2021 15:34:03 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Gumshoe on Thu, 11 Jun 2020 15:05:16 GMT]]>In the past, it was once known as a [detective] or a [slueth]. Now a slueth has become known as a slut, hence [gumshoe]! They have the same meaning once again!

]]>https://definedictionarymeaning.com/post/268388https://definedictionarymeaning.com/post/268388Thu, 11 Jun 2020 15:05:16 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Gumshoe on Sun, 07 Mar 2021 12:34:07 GMT]]>[a rubber] [soled] shoe or a rubber [boot]

a [detective]

a police officer

to walk [stealthily]

]]>https://definedictionarymeaning.com/post/268387https://definedictionarymeaning.com/post/268387Sun, 07 Mar 2021 12:34:07 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Gumshoe on Wed, 15 Sep 2021 15:34:02 GMT]]>Slang; Detective. Someone who spends excessive time investigating criminal activity

]]>https://definedictionarymeaning.com/post/106861https://definedictionarymeaning.com/post/106861Wed, 15 Sep 2021 15:34:02 GMT