[Russ. тройка.] A Russian vehicle drawn by three horses abreast; a Russian administrative group of three people.
1842. trans. Kohl’s Russia, xxv. 202. One of his [Orlowsky’s] best, and best-known pictures is his ‘Courier.’ A Russian troika is carried on at full speed by three wild horses.
1881. Lucy Hamilton Hooper, Tsar’s Window, v. 38. ‘This must be a troika!’ she exclaimed, and we all turned to look at the curious vehicle which was approaching us.
1904. Daily Record & Mail, 22 April, 4. I crossed the Baikal in a troika, a basket sleigh on wooden runners, drawn by three horses abreast.
1930. Caroll Binder, in Richmond Times-Dispatch (VA), 7 April, 7/5. A ‘troika’ of three elected members plans what land to seed in what crop and who shall do a certain kind of labor…. A second ‘troika’ has the responsibility of watching over the operating ‘troika’ for financial irregularities, [etc.].
