green shoot
n.— «In recent weeks, “green shoots,” or signs of improvement in the economy (the term was coined by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke), have been eagerly received by investors who’ve been looking for reasons to jump back into equities after the long bear market.» —“Stocks soar worldwide as ‘green shoots’ lure hungry bulls” Los Angeles Times May 4, 2009. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Sure, there’s winter, spring, summer, and fall. But the seasons in between have even more poetic names. In Alaska, greenup describes a sudden, dramatic burst of green after a long, dark winter. And there are many, many terms for a cold snap...
When there’s no evening meal planned at home, what do you call that scramble to cobble together your own dinner? Some people apply acronyms like YOYO — “you’re on your own” — or CORN, for “Clean Out your Refrigerator...