go to ground

English

Pronunciation

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Verb

go to ground (third-person singular simple present goes to ground, present participle going to ground, simple past went to ground, past participle gone to ground)

1. (intransitive, especially of an animal, chiefly UK) To escape into a burrow, hole, etc. when being hunted.

   The fox escaped from the hounds by going to ground.

   • 1912, H. Rider Haggard, chapter 19, in Marie:

     I heard them on the other bank, and then saw a man on a horse crossing the river, and went to ground like a jackal.

2. (idiomatic, by extension, chiefly UK) To hide from public view or sequester oneself, especially when authorities, members of the news media, or others are looking for one.
   • 1906, Arthur Griffiths, chapter 11, in The Passenger from Calais:

     It was more than enough for my fugitives to clear out of the Lausanne station and make some new move, to hide away in an out-of-the-way spot, go to ground in fact, or travel in another direction.

   • 2008 January 24, Vivienne Walt, “France's $7.2 Billion Hit”, in Time:

     Kerviel's identity was revealed on the Financial Times and Daily Telegraph websites, but was not confirmed by bank officials, who admitted on Thursday that the rogue trader appeared to have gone to ground and that they had no idea where he was.

3. (intransitive, sports, chiefly UK) To fall to the ground, lose one's footing, come off one's feet, whether by design, accident, or foul
   • 2002 October 21, Andy Wilson, “Lowes rages as Saints clinch title thriller”, in The Guardian‎^[1]:

     There can never have been a more blatant voluntary tackle than the way the Saints captain Chris Joynt went to ground on the penultimate play of the game, to deny Bradford any chance of regaining possession after Sean Long's drop goal 30 seconds or so earlier.

   • 2004 May 10, Andy Gray, “The pace, power and desire to conquer all”, in The Guardian‎^[2]:

     He defends well and his recovery is good, meaning he can get up and get back at people if he goes to ground.

   • 2013 January 18, David Lacey, “FA has made dealing with dangerous lunges harder for refs to tackle”, in The Guardian‎^[3]:

     The sort of tackle which continues to be questioned is the bulldozing type which often occurs when a defender goes to ground as he makes the challenge.

   • 2018 April 12, Dominic Fifield, “Those who call me a diver are jumping on the bandwagon, says Wilfried Zaha”, in The Guardian‎^[4]:

     Wilfried Zaha has dismissed suggestions he goes to ground too easily and accused those who brand him a diver of “jumping on the bandwagon” as the Ivory Coast winger seeks to edge Crystal Palace closer to safety with victory in the derby against Brighton on Saturday.

4. (intransitive, sports, chiefly UK) (of the ball) to touch the ground; to be dropped
   • 2011 September 11, Tom Bryant, “Rugby World Cup 2011: Ireland 22-10 USA - as it happened”, in The Guardian‎^[5]:

     Ireland get the next put in. They could, and probably should, put the screws on the US now as their fitness and technique begins to tell. [...] Instead, the ball goes to ground as it wings its way down the Irish line. It doesn't go forward though, so they keep on pushing up the pitch.

   • 2022 May 8, Gerard Meagher, “Finn Russell’s stunner for Racing 92 knocks Sale out of Champions Cup”, in The Guardian‎^[6]:

     What was, in truth, a pretty dreadful first half came to life in the final minute when a wayward pass from De Klerk went to ground behind Tuilagi, who gathered, spun, spotted a gap left by overzealous Racing defenders and breezed under the posts.

   • 2024 May 30, Tanya Aldred, “England v Pakistan: fourth men’s T20 cricket international – as it happened”, in The Guardian‎^[7]:

     Iftikhar slams the next but it goes to ground just short of Jordan at long on.

See also

• incommunicado
• go underground