Definition & Meaning of "[run] {sb/sth} to (ground|earth)"

What is the origin of the idiom "run somebody or something to ground" and when to use it?

The idiom has originated from hunting, where dogs are used to track and locate prey by scent. The phrase "run to ground" may have been used to describe the act of chasing an animal until it is exhausted and stops running, allowing the hunters to capture or kill it. Now, it is used in a broader sense to describe the act of finding or discovering something or someone after a long search or investigation. It suggests that the search was exhaustive and that the person or thing being sought was difficult to locate.