A gumshoe is a detective — usually a private one, the kind who walks the streets, asks questions, and watches people, not a police officer in uniform. The word is old American slang, a little playful and a little old-fashioned; you meet it in crime stories and films more than in everyday talk.

A gumshoegumshoe is是 a detective偵探 — usually a private one通常是私家偵探, the kind who walks the streets那種在街上走來走去的人, asks questions問問題, and watches people觀察人, not不是 a police officer in uniform穿制服的警察。The word這個字 is是 old American slang老派的美式俚語, a little playful帶點俏皮 and a little old-fashioned也有點過時; you meet it你會遇到它 in crime stories and films在犯罪小說和電影裡 more than in everyday talk比在日常聊天裡更常見。

People called detectives gumshoes because they wore quiet shoes with soft rubber soles (the “gum” is that sticky rubber on the bottom), so they could follow someone without making a noise.

People called人們叫 detectives偵探 gumshoesgumshoes because因為 they wore quiet shoes with soft rubber soles他們穿著軟橡膠底的安靜鞋子 (the "gum" is that sticky rubber on the bottom那個「gum」就是底部那種黏黏的橡膠), so這樣 they could follow someone他們就能跟蹤別人 without making a noise而不發出聲音。

Though actually, nobody at a real police station would put gumshoe on a business card; it is the word from the story, not from the office.

Though actually不過其實, nobody at a real police station真的警察局裡沒有人 would put會把 gumshoegumshoe on a business card印在名片上; it is這是 the word from the story故事裡的字, not不是 from the office辦公室裡的字。

You can also use it as a verb: to gumshoe is to go around investigating, like a detective. Informal, and slightly jokey.

You can also你也可以 use it as a verb把它當動詞用: to gumshoeto gumshoe is就是 to go around investigating, like a detective像偵探一樣到處查案。Informal這是口語詞, and slightly jokey還帶點玩笑的味道。