Figurative use of 空ける?


> う～ん、3週間も空けてしまっていた
>
> Oh, I've been away from here for three weeks.

This Japanese sentence and its translation was provided by a native speaker,
describing his absence from a website.

What would be both the literal and figurative meanings of 空ける(あ.ける) here, in
relation to time and/or the subject?




As native English speakers I think we tend to relate pretty easily with the
expression 時間が空{あ}いている or 時間を空ける, meaning to have free time or to make/spare
time. The meaning in question is similar but not exactly the same. The も and
the lack of the direct object kind of obfuscates the real meaning. Indeed, it
could be read as ３週間を空けた, but that would mean he essentially cleared up 3
weeks to be less busy. Instead it's referring to the website/place where he
usually is: ３週間（ここを）空けていた. This usage refers to being away from somewhere.
Literally it means that he "emptied" the site, referring to his not being
there figuratively.

On alc we see [some examples of
this](http://eow.alc.co.jp/search?q=%E3%82%92%E7%A9%BA%E3%81%91):

> ＿日間家を空ける  
>  be away from home __ days
>
> 何も聞かれずに一晩中家を空ける  
>  stay out all night with no questions asked
>
> 10分間部屋を空ける  
>  leave a room for __ minutes

Hopefully this is clear! It's just a literal idea of leaving a place vacant.




As native English speakers I think we tend to relate pretty easily with the
expression 時間が空{あ}いている or 時間を空ける, meaning to have free time or to make/spare
time. The meaning in question is similar but not exactly the same. The も and
the lack of the direct object kind of obfuscates the real meaning. Indeed, it
could be read as ３週間を空けた, but that would mean he essentially cleared up 3
weeks to be less busy. Instead it's referring to the website/place where he
usually is: ３週間（ここを）空けていた. This usage refers to being away from somewhere.
Literally it means that he "emptied" the site, referring to his not being
there figuratively.

On alc we see [some examples of
this](http://eow.alc.co.jp/search?q=%E3%82%92%E7%A9%BA%E3%81%91):

> ＿日間家を空ける  
>  be away from home __ days
>
> 何も聞かれずに一晩中家を空ける  
>  stay out all night with no questions asked
>
> 10分間部屋を空ける  
>  leave a room for __ minutes

Hopefully this is clear! It's just a literal idea of leaving a place vacant.

