This is the 8869th most frequent Portuguese word.
aquém
"Aquém" means "beneath," "below," or "this side of," indicating something situated closer or of lesser degree.
Similarly to the first usage, 'aquém' implies being 'below' or 'less than' an expected standard or level.
O aluno ficou aquém no desempenho esperado.
The student fell short in the expected performance.
In this sentence, 'aquém' is used to mean 'below' or 'short of' something, indicating that the expectations were not met.
Ele ficou aquém das expectativas.
He fell short of expectations.
Here, 'aquém' indicates a placement or position relative to the mountains, meaning 'on this side' or 'below' from the perspective given.