what does the word "lud" mean?

I found a good article about ancient slang words. Sounds like lud might mean sexual power, buttocks, or penis.

Please follow the link below to read a portion of an article about possible etymology of this word. Lud is discussed from the bottom of page 80 and continues onto page 81. Here is a piece of information taken from page 80:

The context is unambiguous, but lud is a açpax legómenon.

It is usually glossed ‘form, figure’ or ‘bodily strength’ and referred to the root

*leudh- ‘grow’. Rauch (1975) examined all the literature on lud and came to the

conclusion that this word means ‘sexual power’, which is possible, though if lud is

related to Norw., Swed. ladd/lodd and OI lodda/lodd- (see below), the meaning

can be ‘youth’, that is, the time when one is still a ladd and a lodda. She also cited

Scottish lud ‘buttocks’ (perhaps a short form of luddock). In Murray et al. 1989,

luddock is glossed ‘the loin, or the buttock’. Buttock is the sum of butt ‘thicker

end, esp. of a tool or a weapon; trunk of a tree, esp. the part just above the

ground, etc.’ (the definitions are from Fowler and Fowler 1990, 152) + the suffix

-ock. I assume that lud(d) at one time also meant ‘thicker end; tree trunk’ and so

forth, including ‘penis’.

Lord.

As used (comically) in a court scene - "m'lud" for "my lord"

As a general epithet - Lud! That hurt.

And in 16th century Scots - buttocks.

In the context you give - "Lord love you" - a colloquial blessing expressing approval/thanks.

It would help if you gave the context in which the word is used, but it may well be a version of 'lord'.