A rollicking game was bookended by the dismissals of United goalkeeper Michal Szromnik and Inverness's Gary Warren.
In between, Greg Tansey scored from the spot-kick earned by Szromnik's indiscipline and Ryan McGowan levelled.
Inverness ought to have extended their lead, but United were irrepressible after the break and got their reward.
Decisions immediately crowded in on the referee Calum Murray, demanding adjudication.
In the opening 10 seconds, David Raven clattered recklessly into United's Ryan Dow, drawing a yellow card from the official.
Contemplation was not allowed entry to Tannadice, since after 10 minutes Murray was faced with an even more significant decision.
After springing United's offside trap, Marley Watkins raced into the penalty area, where Szromnik rashly pushed him over having sprinted off his goal-line in panic.
It was a clear penalty kick, although United's coaching staff felt, wrongly according to TV pictures, that Watkins had been offside.
There was problem-solving to be faced, too, and it was a minute or so before the decision was made to take off Chris Erskine for substitute goalkeeper Radoslaw Cierzniak.
Erskine was furious, and gesticulated as he took his place on the bench. There was further dismay when Greg Tansey converted the penalty kick.
Events had reflected the circumstances of both teams, since United came into this game on a run of poor form, while Inverness had been unbeaten in 2015 and still harboured ambitions of overhauling Aberdeen for second place in the Premiership.
They were emboldened by the way that United became insecure at the back and McGowan and Jaroslaw Fojut struggled to cope with the rangy, elusive running of Watkins.
The Inverness striker strode beyond the back line again, clipping the ball past Cierzniak, but McGowan recovered to usher Watkins away from goal.
Tannadice reverberated to a sense of grievance. It was initially misplaced, since the penalty was correct, but decisions soon justified it.
There was uproar in the stands when Watkins and Paul Dixon went head-to-head inside the penalty area at a corner kick. Both players were lectured by Murray, then Watkins met the set piece and his header was turned over by his team-mate Warren.
The interval allowed United to regroup and manager Jackie McNamara used it to demand greater intensity from his players. The result was to unsettle Inverness, who were left unable to take advantage of their extra man.
Injustice would also have been a motivation for the home side, since Raven could have been sent off for a second yellow card after he floored Dixon only seconds after the break.
Watkins too might have feared dismissal after a lunging stamp on Aidan Connolly.
The tousy nature of their play reflected the unnerving effort of United, who were playing with renewed vigour. The home side were refusing to settle for a defeat, and Inverness keeper Ryan Esson had to rush from his goal to block Ryan Dow's shot from close range.
United's reward came through persistence. McGowan initially made poor contact with the ball at a corner kick, but he reacted quickly to clip it goalwards, while grounded, and it looped over the head of Esson into the net.
As Inverness brooded on their failure to cope with United's spiky resolve, the hosts continued to press for a winning goal.
Nadir Ciftci was too eager to supply it, and rushed a volley at goal when he could have controlled the ball and taken it closer in, Esson making a diving save.
Inverness eventually recovered their poise, and generated a run of chances. Danny Williams saw his header from inside the six yard box blocked, then Watkins turned a cross into the side-netting.
And Tansey's 30-yard strike stung the fingertips of Cierzniak.
An off-the-ball clash between Ciftci and Warren prompted the assistant referee to rush on to the pitch. After consultations, Warren was dismissed and Ciftci booked.
A pulsating game could only eventually be subdued by the final whistle.
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