Comments on: Pump (shoe) http://www.word-detective.com/2010/04/pump-shoe/ Semper Ubi Sub Ubi Wed, 20 Mar 2013 19:32:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: cyranorox http://www.word-detective.com/2010/04/pump-shoe/comment-page-1/#comment-4816 cyranorox Thu, 13 May 2010 19:10:55 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/?p=3043#comment-4816 Robinson Crusoe mentions wearing pumps, clearly low, step-in, strapless [?] shoes for men, and not fancy, but one of the footwear used at sea. Robinson Crusoe mentions wearing pumps, clearly low, step-in, strapless [?] shoes for men, and not fancy, but one of the footwear used at sea.

]]> By: Mary http://www.word-detective.com/2010/04/pump-shoe/comment-page-1/#comment-4780 Mary Mon, 10 May 2010 01:21:55 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/?p=3043#comment-4780 T.A. Jones -- you said it better than I did. Sorry I hadn't seen your comment sooner. Mine went to "moderation purgatory" since it was my first comment on this wonderful site. :-) T.A. Jones — you said it better than I did. Sorry I hadn’t seen your comment sooner. Mine went to “moderation purgatory” since it was my first comment on this wonderful site. :-)

]]> By: Mary http://www.word-detective.com/2010/04/pump-shoe/comment-page-1/#comment-4769 Mary Sat, 08 May 2010 17:31:51 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/?p=3043#comment-4769 My costumer friends tell me that pump shoes are so called because they were worn by the fashionable folk who took the waters in the famous Pump Room at Bath, England. Originally they were worn as dress shoes by men. I'll see if I can find you a citation, if this is of interest. My costumer friends tell me that pump shoes are so called because they were worn by the fashionable folk who took the waters in the famous Pump Room at Bath, England. Originally they were worn as dress shoes by men. I’ll see if I can find you a citation, if this is of interest.

]]> By: T.A.Jones http://www.word-detective.com/2010/04/pump-shoe/comment-page-1/#comment-4767 T.A.Jones Sat, 08 May 2010 12:56:55 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/?p=3043#comment-4767 The explanation commonly given over here (Britain) is that it refers to a type of flat shoe worn for dancing during the heyday of "taking the waters" at the various spa towns. The room where the spa water was dispensed, and in which, or in adjacent rooms, social events such as dances were held during the season, was commonly called the "pump room(s)" - Hence "pumps" for the shoes which would often have been worn there. I myself have "taken the waters" in the pump room at Bath, though not danced therein. The explanation commonly given over here (Britain) is that it refers to a type of flat shoe worn for dancing during the heyday of “taking the waters” at the various spa towns. The room where the spa water was dispensed, and in which, or in adjacent rooms, social events such as dances were held during the season, was commonly called the “pump room(s)” – Hence “pumps” for the shoes which would often have been worn there.

I myself have “taken the waters” in the pump room at Bath, though not danced therein.

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