Cur"vet (kûr"v?t or kûr-v?t"; 277), n. [OE. corvet, It. corvetta: cf. F. courbette. See Curve, and cf. Corvetto.] 1. (Man.) A particular leap of a horse, when he raises both his fore legs at once, equally advanced, and, as his fore legs are falling, raises his hind legs, so that all his legs are in the air at once.

2. A prank; a frolic.

Cur"vet, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Curveted or -vetted; p. pr. & vb. n. Curveting or -vetting.] [Cf. It. corvettare. See Curvet, n.] 1. To make a curvet; to leap; to bound. "Oft and high he did curvet." Drayton.

2. To leap and frisk; to frolic. Shak.

Cur"vet, v. t. To cause to curvet. Landor.

• of a horse, to leap about, frolic
       *1963: Firelily, under him, seemed sexually aroused, she curveted and frolicked so about the line of march, covering five miles to the prisoners' one. — Thomas Pynchon, V.