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"out"
Wordplay
Act 1,
Scene 1
Lines 12-19

An explanation of the double meaning of the phrase “if you be out” in Act 1, Scene 1 of myShakespeare’s Julius Caesar.

Marullus

But what trade art thou? Answer me directly.

Cobbler

A trade, sir, that, I hope, I may use with a safe
conscience; which is, indeed, sir, a mender of bad soles.

Marullus

What trade, thou knave? Thou naughty knave, what trade?

Cobbler

Nay, I beseech you, sir, be not out with me: yet,
if you be out, sir, I can mend you.

Marullus

What mean’st thou by that? Mend me, thou saucy fellow!

Cobbler

Why, sir, cobble you.

The cobbler asks Marullus not to be out with him, which means he doesn't want Marullus to be angry with him. But when he continues, "if you be out, sir, I can mend you", Marullus thinks that the cobbler is being insolent in saying that he's going to set Marullus right by getting rid of his anger. However, in the cobbler's trade, the expression "out at heel" refers to a shoe so worn that the heel is protruding from it. The double meaning here means that the phrase could just be an offer by the cobbler to mend Marullus' shoes if they need it.