gumshoes
Sleuths for hire
Gumshoes are soft-soled shoes, originally made with rubber (gum) soles that allow quiet movement.
From this stealthy quality, gumshoe became slang for a detective or private investigator—someone who sneaks around gathering information: The gumshoe tailed the suspect through back alleys.
The term has an old-fashioned, noir flavor.
Private investigator
- investigationFormal examination of facts
- cluesHints toward answers
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- stakeoutProlonged covert observation
tail · shadow · snoop · inquiry · case · suspect · witness · interrogation
sleuth
Private investigator
- investigationFormal examination of facts
- cluesHints toward answers
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
stakeout · tail · shadow · snoop · inquiry · case · suspect · witness · interrogation · evidence
rubber soles
Elastic shoe bases
sneak
Move with stealth
- prowlRoam stealthily
- silentProducing no sound
- undetectedNot discovered yet
tiptoe · creep · quiet · noiseless · furtive · stealthy · padding · skulk · slink · catlike
- Detective Worldprivate eyes, sleuths, investigators, detective agencies
- Copscop, cops, coppers, police, sheriff
gumshoesbeat cops
Officers patrolling assigned neighborhoods
patrol officers · FBI agents · federal agents · prosecutors · judges
gumshoesleather soles
Tanned hide shoe bases
hobnail boots · wooden clogs · dress shoes · tap shoes · cleats