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Meaning & use

run to ground

phrase·Advanced

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UK/ˌrʌn tə ˈɡraʊnd/
US/ˌrʌn tə ˈɡraʊnd/

Meanings

  1. phraseidiomBritish

    To track down and find a person or thing after a long and difficult search.

    Grammar: The object sits in the middle: run someone to ground; passive is be run to ground.

    Patterns

    • run someone to ground
    • run something to ground

    Detectives finally ran the fugitive to ground in a coastal town.

    I ran the missing report to ground in an old folder.

    Reporters ran the source to ground after weeks of calls.

  2. phraseidiomspecialist

    Of a hunted animal, to run into a hole or burrow in order to escape.

    Grammar: No object with this literal sense: the fox ran to ground.

    Patterns

    • something goes to ground

    The fox ran to ground under the roots of an oak.

    Chased by the hounds, the badger ran to ground in its sett.

    The rabbit ran to ground as the dog approached.

Word forms

third person singularruns to ground
pastran to ground
past participlerun to ground
-ing formrunning to ground

Common combinations

run a suspect to ground
Police ran the suspect to ground at the harbor.
finally ran to ground
The rumor was finally run to ground.
run a rumor to ground
She ran the rumor to ground and found nothing.
run a fox to ground
The hunt ran a fox to ground at dusk.

Synonyms and how they differ

track down
Track down is plainer and used for any search, without the sense of a long chase.
hunt down
Hunt down suggests a determined search, often for a person you want to catch.
locate
Locate is a neutral, formal word for finding where something is.
unearth
Unearth is used for finding hidden facts or objects, often accidentally.

Opposites

lose track of

Word family

ground noun
the earth surface, also an animal's burrow in this phrase
go to ground phrase
to hide away
run verb
to move quickly or pursue

Commonly confused: run to ground or run aground?

run to ground vs run aground

Run aground means a ship touches the bottom and gets stuck. It has nothing to do with finding someone.

Practice

After months of searching, the journalist finally ___ the elusive source ___.

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