A whole rest is a musical notation used to represent a period of silence in a song. It is also known as a semibreve rest, which is the same duration of four beats of silence in a 4/4 time signature. Another term used for the whole rest is the pause sign, as it indicates a complete break in the music. Other synonyms for the whole rest include the breve rest, the full measure rest, and the silence sign. These terms all refer to the same symbol that appears in sheet music and indicates a pause in the music for the entire duration of a measure.