Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
porcupine provision

porcupine provision

9.9
A rule a company uses to stop a takeover by making itself less attractive to other companies
  • noun
  • /ˈpɔrkjəˌpaɪn prəˈvɪʒən/
  • Jargon
translation icon : cláusula puercoespín
  • The board implemented a porcupine provision to protect against hostile takeovers.

Examples

  • The company adopted a porcupine provision to fend off the hostile takeover bid.

  • Shareholders debated whether the porcupine provision would truly protect their interests in the long run.

  • Many corporations use a porcupine provision as a legal shield against aggressive mergers.

  • Many companies adopt porcupine provisions to safeguard their interests.

  • The company adopted a porcupine provision to fend off the hostile takeover bid.

  • Many corporations use a porcupine provision as a legal shield against aggressive mergers.

  • Shareholders debated whether the porcupine provision would truly protect their interests in the long run.

Synonyms

poison pill
vsporcupine provision
  • Jargon
3 7.9

To make it hard for another company to take control by making the company's shares less attractive

is the general defensive measure covering many tactics to deter takeovers
shark repellent
vsporcupine provision
  • Jargon
7.6

A step a company takes to stop another company from taking it over

is about making the company itself less attractive rather than increasing attempt difficulty

How Defensive

poison pill
  • Jargon
3 7.9
porcupine provision
  • Jargon
9.9
golden parachute
  • Specialized
6 6.8

Surface Forms

porcupine provision singular
porcupine provisions plural

Morphology

porcupine + provision

The components 'porcupine' (an animal known for defensive quills) and 'provision' (a clause or requirement) combine to suggest a protective clause, so a learner could infer a general sense of a defensive legal measure. However, the phrase is a domain-specific metaphor used in corporate finance to mean a specific anti‑takeover mechanism, so the precise target (deterring hostile takeovers) is not fully predictable to a B1 learner without additional context or sector knowledge.

Etymology

Porcupine provision comes from the picture of a porcupine curling up and using sharp quills to stop anyone from grabbing it, and a provision is a rule a company makes. So, a porcupine provision is a legal rule companies use to make themselves hard to buy and to 'prevent' hostile takeovers.