The popular MO question ["Famous mathematical quotes"][1] has turned 
up many examples of witty, insightful, and humorous writing by
mathematicians. Yet, with a few exceptions such as Weyl's "angel of
topology," the language used in these quotes gets the message
across without fancy metaphors or what-have-you. That's probably the
style of most mathematicians.

Occasionally, however, one is surprised by unexpectedly colorful
language in a mathematics paper. If I remember correctly, a paper of 
Gerald Sacks once described a distinction as being

>as sharp as the edge of a pastrami slicer in a New York delicatessen.

Another nice one, due to Wilfred Hodges, came up on MO [here][2].

>The reader may well feel he could have bought Corollary 10 cheaper 
in another bazaar.

What other examples of colorful language in mathematical papers have 
you enjoyed?


[1]:http://mathoverflow.net/questions/7155?sort=votes&page=1#sort-top
[2]:http://mathoverflow.net/questions/22243/what-is-the-smallest-cardinal-number-of-a-set-that-requires-the-axiom-of-choice-t