Sure but neither of those explanations immediately scream you can use this to filter high frequency noise or you can use it to cause a phase shift in an AC sign

Sure but neither of those explanations immediately scream you can use this to filter high frequency noise or you can use it to cause a phase shift in an AC signal (like in a mechanical electrical meter or a start winding in a single phase induction motor). Maybe 'trick' is the wrong way of looking at it, I guess the real issue is that from seeing a single component in a circuit diagram you can't know which of the effects of a component is being utilised.