Could you say "Ils sucent encore le pouce"?

Question

In the lesson "Using le, la, les with body parts and clothing (definite articles)", the definite article is used instead of the possessive.

One of the examples in that lesson:

Ils ont les yeux fermésThey have their eyes closed

Following that example, we'd come up with "Ils sucent encore le pouce" instead of "Ils sucent encore leur pouce".

Accepted Answer

Hi Brad, 
The expression is ,
‘Sucer son pouce’,  which uses a possessive adjective. 
There are lots of expressions involving parts of the body which will sound strange in French as different from what is said in English.... but I am afraid that’s just how it is.

Answer

Thanks, Cécile. Good to know that this specific case is an exception to the general rule.