Dire Dawa or Diredawa, city (1994 pop. 164,851), Harar region, E Ethiopia. It is a commercial and industrial center located on the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad. Manufactures include processed meat, vegetable oil, textiles, and cement. There are also railroad workshops in the city. Dire Dawa was founded in 1902 when the railroad from Djibouti reached the area, and its growth has resulted largely from trade brought by the railroad.

voir dire(Anglo-French; “to speak the truth”)

In law, the act or process of questioning prospective jurors to determine whether they are qualified and suitable for service on a jury. The questioning attorneys may dismiss a juror for cause, such as when bias or preconceived notions of guilt or innocence are in evidence; they also have a limited number of peremptory challenges that they can use to dismiss a juror for any or no reason.

Learn more about voir dire with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Extinct wolf (Canis dirus) that existed during the Pleistocene Epoch (1.8 million–10,000 years ago), probably the most common mammalian species found preserved in the La Brea Tar Pits. It differed from the modern wolf in being larger and having a more massive skull, a smaller brain (and probably less intelligence), and relatively light limbs. The species was considerably widespread; skeletal remains have been found in Florida and the Mississippi valley in the U.S., as well as in the Valley of Mexico.

Learn more about dire wolf with a free trial on Britannica.com.