gumshoe

[ guhm-shoo ]

noun

1. Slang. a detective.
2. a shoe made of gum elastic or India rubber; rubber overshoe.
3. sneaker ( def 1 ).

verb (used without object)

, gum·shoed, gum·shoe·ing.

1. Slang.
   1. to work as a detective.
   2. to go softly, as if wearing rubber shoes; move or act snoopily or stealthily.

gumshoe

/ ˈɡʌmˌʃuː /

noun

1. a waterproof overshoe
2. a rubber-soled shoe
3. slang.
   a detective or one who moves about stealthily
4. slang.
   a stealthy action or movement

verb

1. slang.
   intr to act stealthily

Word History and Origins

Origin of gumshoe¹

An Americanism dating back to 1860–65; gum ¹ + shoe

Example Sentences

Montalbán endowed his Catalan gumshoe with an equally impressive set of quirks that are aired and explored in each book.

From The Daily Beast

In some ways, The Hypnotist hews closer to the American gumshoe tradition.

From The Daily Beast

The book on which I was doing all the gumshoe reporting, Godtalk, is now a time capsule.

From The Daily Beast

Not some cheesy gumshoe operation with frosted-glass windows and the lingering stench of stale cigar smoke.

From The Daily Beast

Under McCullogh's regime this open-shop gumshoe artist had free access to the jail with instructions to go as far as he liked.

From Project Gutenberg

I'm sure the gumshoe when it comes to pipin' a man off so's I got his photograph in my eye.

From Project Gutenberg

A gumshoe outlasts a hobnailed sole and a rubber tube full of air is better than a steel tire.

From Project Gutenberg

And consider the appropriateness of the figures of speech, as Gumshoe would say.

From Project Gutenberg

One for the Gumshoe, said Tony blithely, as they turned onto the campus.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• detective
• sleuth