อาจเอื้อม
presumptuous
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 presumptuous、audacious
Describes someone acting beyond their proper place or authority with presumptuous boldness.
presumptuous、audacious
Describes behavior that boldly oversteps the limits of one’s status, position, or authority.
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อย่าอาจเอื้อมเด็ดดอกฟ้า yàa àat ʉ̂am dèt dɔ̀ɔk fáa Do not presume to reach for a woman far above your station. อย่าอาจเอื้อมเด็ดดอกฟ้า details
Learning notes
Explanation
อาจเอื้อม draws on the image of เอื้อม, “to stretch out one’s arm to reach something.” It describes the presumption of acting beyond one’s status, position, or authority. It is not simply about having an ambitious goal; it implies disregarding a social boundary or hierarchy. It occurs more often in literature, lyrics, historical settings, and strongly critical language than in casual conversation.
Usage
It is used in fiction or historical settings when someone of lower status presumptuously approaches a superior or reaches beyond their station. It can also condemn an audacious act that exceeds the person’s authority.
Caution
In a phrase such as ไม่อาจเอื้อม, the words may be parsed separately as ไม่ + อาจ “cannot” + เอื้อม “reach,” giving the meaning “cannot reach.” It is therefore not always the negative form of lexical อาจเอื้อม. Calling someone อาจเอื้อม directly can also sound strongly insulting.
Differences from similar words
1 presumptuous synonyms
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บังอาจ strongly condemns someone for daring to do something improper or disrespectful. อาจเอื้อม more specifically suggests overstepping the boundaries of one’s status or position.
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ล่วงเกิน broadly means to offend, violate, or overstep a personal or social boundary. อาจเอื้อม emphasizes presumptuously reaching beyond what one’s rank or position allows.