Why are detectives called gumshoe?
Why are detectives called gumshoe? Originally Answered: Why are detectives called gumshoes? The slang term “gumshoes” for a detective originates from the late 1800s. The soles of shoes and boots back then were made with soft gum rubber, unlike the synthetic materials we use in modern shoes and sneakers. What does it mean to call someone a gumshoe? So many names for the ever-popular crime sleuth! “To gumshoe” came to mean to sneak around quietly as if wearing gumshoes. It did not initially only apply to detectives; it could mean anyone being sneaky or stealthy, robbers and thief-catchers alike. A...